King Solomon's mines: A Novel

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1. Goo'^^lc

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES

a Nood

Bt H. EIDEE HAGGAED

AUTHOR ov "earn" "jibs" btc

5?i

NEW YORK

LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO.

1901

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J

K2>'fS^^d

HARVARD
UNlVER^JTY

LIBRARY

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THE FAITHFUL BUT UNPBBTENBINO RBCOBB

OF

A REMARKABLE ADVENTURE

IS HkREBY

Aesjiectfoils IDebicaUb

BY THE NARRATOR

ALLAN QUATERMAIN

TO ALL
THE BIO AND LITTLE BOYS WHO READ IT

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58?3

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CONTENXa

CHAPTIB wAmm

Introduction vii

1. I Meet Sib Hbnbt Curtis 1

II. The Legend of Solomon's Mines 18

III. Umbopa Enters Our Service 25

IV. An Elephant Hunt 89

V. Our March into the Desert 51

VI. Water! Water! 67

VII. Solomon's Road 81

VIII. We Enter Eukuanaland 101

IX. TwALA, THE Kmo 112

X. The Witch-hunt . - 128

XI. We Give a Sign 144

XII. Before the Battle 160

XIII. The Attack 173

XIV. The Last Stand of the Grays 184

XV. Good Palls Sick 205

XVL The Place of Death 218

XVII. Solomon's Treasure-chamber .231

XVm. We Abandon Hope. 245

XIX. Ignosi's Pabewell 258

XX. Found 269

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INTRODUCTION.

Now that this book is printed^ and about to be given to
the world, the sense of its shortcomings, both in style and
contents, weighs very heavily upon me. As regards the
latter, I can only say that it does not pretend to be a full
account of everything we did and saw. . There are many
things connected with our journey into Kukuanaland which
I should have liked to dwell upon at length, and which
have, as it is, been scarcely alluded to. Among these are
the curious legends which I collected about the chain ar-
mor that saved us from destruction in the great battle of
Loo, and also about the ^^ silent ones " or colossi at the
mouth of the stalactite cave. Again, if I had given way
to my own impulses I should have liked to go into the dif-
ferences, some of which are to my mind very suggestive,
between the Zulu and Kukuana dialects. Also a few pages
might profitably have been given up to the consideration
of the indigenous flora and fauna of Kukuanaland."* Then
there remains the most interesting subject — ^that, as it is,

* I diScoTered eight varieties of antelope with which I was previously
totally unacquainted, and many new species of plants, for the most part of
the bidbous tribe. — A. Q.

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Vm INTRODUCTION,

has only been incidentally alluded to— of the magnificent
system of military organization in force in that country,
which is, in my opinion, much superior to that inaugurated
by Chaka in Zululand, inasmuch as it permits of even
more rapid mobilization, and does not necessitate the em-
ployment of the pernicious system of forced celibacy. And,
lastly, I have scarcely touched on the domestic and family
customs of the Kukuanas, many of which are exceedingly
quaint, or on their proficiency in the art of smelting and
welding metals. This last they carry to considerable per-
fection, of which a good example is to be seen in their
"toUas," or heavy throwing -knives, the backs of these
knives being made of hammered iron, and the edges of
beautiful steel welded with great skill on to the iron backs.
The fact of the matter is that I thought (and so did Sir
Henry Curtis and Captain Good) that the best plan would
be to tell the story in a plain, straightforward manner, and
leave these matters to be dealt with subsequently in what-
ever way inay ultimately appear to be desirable. In the
meanwhile I shall, of course, be delighted to give any in-
formation in my power to anybody interested in such
things.

And now it only remains for me to oflfer my apologies
for my blunt way of writing. I can only say in excuse for
it that I am more accustomed to handle a rifle than a pen,
and cannot make any pretence to the grand literary flights
and flourishes which I see in novels — for I sometimes like
to read a novel. I suppose they — ^the flights and flourishes
— are desirable, and I regret not being able to supply them ;

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INTRODUCTION. IX

but at the same time I cannot help thinking that simple
things are always the most impressive, and books are easier
to understand when they are written in plain language,
though I have perhaps no right to set up an opinion on
such a matter. ^^ A sharp spear," runs the Kuku^na say-
ing, ''needs no polish ;" and on the same principle I vent-
ure to hope that a true story, however strange it may be,
does not require to be decked out in fine words.

Allan Quatebmain.

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES.

CHAPTER I.

I MEET SIB HBKBT CUBTIS.

It is a curious thing that at my age — ^fifty-five last birth-
day — ^I should find myself taking up a pen to try and write
a history. I wonder what sort of a history it will be when
I have done it, if I ever come to the end of the trip I I
have done a good many things in my life, which seems a
long one to me, owing to my having begun so young, per-
haps. At an age when other boys are at school I was earn-
ing my living as a trader in the old Colony. I have been
trading, hunting, fighting, or mining ever since. And yet
it is only eight months ago that I made my pile. It is a
big pile now I have got it — ^I don't yet know how big — ^but
I don't think I would go through the last fifteen or six-
teen months again for it ; no, not if I knew that I should
come out safe at the end, pile and all. But then, I am a
timid man, and don't like violence, and am pretty sick of
adventure. I wonder why I am going to write this book;
it is not in my line. I am not a literary man, though very
devoted to the Old Testament and also to the " Ingoldsby
Legends." Let me try and set down my reasons, just to
see if I have any.

First reason : Because Sir Henry Curtis and Captain
John Good asked me to.

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2 KING SOLOMON'S MINES.

Second reason ; Because I am laid up here at Durban
with the pain and trouble in my left leg. Ever since that
confounded lion got hold of me I have been liable to it,
and its being rather bad just now makes me limp more
than ever. There must be some poison in a lion's teeth,
otherwise how is it that when your wounds are healed they
break out again, generally, mark you, at the same time of
year that you got your mauling? It is a hard thing that
when one has shot sixty-five lions, as I have in the course
of my life, that the sixty-sixth should chew your leg like a
quid of tobacco. It breaks the routine of the thing, and,
putting other considerations aside, I am an orderly man
and don't like that. This is by the way.

Third reason : Because I want my boy Harry, who is
over there at the hospital in London studying to become a
doctor, to have something to amuse him and keep him out
of mischief for a week or so. Hospital work must some-
times pall and get rather dull, for even of cutting-up dead
bodies there must come satiety, and as this history won't
be dull, whatever else it may be, it may put a little life into
things for a day or two while he is reading it.

Fourth reason and last : Because I am going to tell the
strangest story that I know of. It may seem a queer thing
to say that, especially considering that there is no woman
in it — except Foulata. Stop, though ! there is Gagaoola,
if she was a woman and not a fiend. But she was a hun-
dred at least, and therefore not marriageable, so I don't
count her. At any rate, I can safely say that there is not
a, petticoat in the whole history. Well, I had better come
to the yoke. It's a stiff place, and I feel as though I were
bogged up to the axle. But " sutjes, sutjes," as the Boers
say (I'm sure I don't know how they spell it), softly does

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i

KING Solomon's mines. 3

it. A strong team will come through at last, that is if
they ain't too poor. You will never do anything with poor
oxen. Now, to begin.

I, Allan Quatermain, of Durban, Katal, Gentleman, make
oath and say — ^That's how I began my deposition before
the magistrate about poor Khiva's and Ventvogel's sad
deaths; but somehow it doesn't seem quite the right way
to begin a book. And, besides, am I a gentleman ? What
is a gentleman ? I don't quite know, and yet I have had
to do with niggers — ^no, FU scratch that word " niggers "
out, for I don't like it. I've known natives who are, and
so you'll say, Harry, my boy, before you're done with this
tale, and I have known mean whites with lots of money
and fresh out from home, too, who ainH. Well, at any rate
I was bom a gentleman, though I've been nothing but a poor
travelling trader and hunter all my life. Whether I have
remained so I know not ; you must judge of that. Heaven
knows I've tried. I've killed many men in my time, but I
have never slain wantonly or stained my hand in innocent
blood, only in self-defence. The Almighty gave us our
lives, and I suppose he meant us to defend them ; at least
I have always acted on that, and I hope it won't be brought
up against me when my clock strikes. There, there ; it is
a cruel and a wicked world, and, for a timi& man, I have
been mixed up in a deal of slaughter. I can't tell the rights
of it, but at any rate I have never stolen, though I once
cheated a Kaffir out of a herd of cattle. But then, he had
done me a dirty turn, and it has troubled me ever since
into the bargain.

Well, it's eighteen months or so ago since I first met Sir
Henry Curtis and Captain Good, and it was in this way.
I had been up elephant hunting beyond Bamangwato, and

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4 KING SOLOMON'S MINES.

had had bad luck. Everything went wrong that trip, and
to top up with I got the fever badly. So soon as I was
well enough I trekked down to the Diamond Fields, sold
such ivory as I had, and also my wagon and oxen, dis-
charged my hunters, and took the post-cart to the Cape.
After spending a week in Cape Town, finding that they
overcharged me at the hotel, and having seen everything
there was to see, including the botanical gardens, which
seem to me likely to confer a great benefit on the country,
and the new Houses of Parliament, which I expect will do
nothing of the sort, I determined to go on back to Natal
by the Dunkdd^ then lying in the docks waiting for the
Edinburgh Castle due in from England. I took my berth
and went aboard, and that afternoon the Natal passengers
from the Edinburgh Castle transhipped, and we weighed
anchor and put out to sea.

Among the passengers who came on board there were
two who excited my curiosity. One, a man of about thirty,
was one of the biggest-chested and longest-armed men I
ever saw. He had yellow hair, a big yellow beard, clear-
cut features, and large gray eyes set deep into his head.
I never saw a finer-looking man, and somehow he reminded
me of an ancient Dane. Not that I know much of ancient
Danes, though I remember a modem Dane who did me out
of ten pounds ; but I remember once seeing a picture of
some of those gentry, who, I take it, were a kind of white
Zulus. They were drinking out of big horns, and their
long hair hung down their backs, and as I looked at my
friend standing there by the companion-ladder, I thought
that if one only let his hair grow a bit, put one of thoso
chain shirts on to those great shoulders of his, and gave
him a big battle-axe and a horn mug, he might have sat as

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KING Solomon's minbs. 5

a model for that picture. And, by the way, it is a curioas
thing, and just shows how the blood will show out,.! found
out afterwards that Sir Henry Curtis, for that was the big
man's name, was of Danish blood.*** He also reminded me
strongly of somebody else, but at the time I could not re-
member who it was.

The other man, who stood talking to Sir Henry, was
short, stout, and dark, and of quite a different cut. I sus-
pected at once that he was a naval officer. I don't know
why, but it is difficult to mistake a navy man. I have gone
shooting trips with several of them in the course of my
life, and they have always been just the best and bravest
and nicest fellows I ever met, though given to the use of
profane language.

I asked, a page or two back, what is a gentleman ? I'll
answer it now : a royal naval officer is, in a general sort
of a way, though, of course, there may be a black sheep
among them here and there. I fancy it is just the wide
sea and the breath of God's winds that washes their hearts
and blows the bitterness out of their minds and makes
them what men ought to be. Well, to return, I was right
again ; I found out that he was a naval officer, a lieutenant
of thirty-one, who, after seventeen years' service, had been
turned out of her majesty's employ with the barren honor
of a commander's rank, because it was impossible that he
should be promoted. This is what people who serve the
queen have to expect : to be shot out into the cold world
to find a living just when they are beginning to really un-

* Mr. Quatermain's ideas about ancient Danes seem to be rather con-
fused; we have always understood that they were dark-haired people
Probably he was thinking of Saxons. — Editor.

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6 KING Solomon's mines.

derstand their work, and to get to the prime of life. Well,
I suppose they don't mind it, but for my part I had rather
earn ray bread as a hunter. One's half -pence are as scarce,
perhaps, but you don't get so many kicks. His name I
found out — ^by referring to the passengers' list — was Good
— Captain John Good. He was broad, of medium height
dark, stout, and rather a curious man to look at. He was
so very neat and so very clean shaved, and he always wore
an eye-glass in his right eye. It seemed to grow there, for
it had no string, and he never took it out except to wipe
it. At first I thought he used to sleep in it, but I after-
wards found that this was a mistake. He put it in his
trousers pocket when he went to bed, together with his
false teeth, of which he had two beautiful sets that have
often, my own being none of the best, caused me to break
the tenth Commandment. But I am anticipating.

Soon after we had got under way evening closed in,
and brought with it very dirty weather. A keen breeze
sprang up off land, and a kind of aggravated Scotch mist
soon drove everybody from the deck. And as for that
Dmikdd^ she is a flat-bottomed punt, and, going up light
as she was, she rolled very heavily. It almost seemed as
though she would go right over, but she never did. It
was quite impossible to walk about, so I stood near the
engines, where it was warm, and amused myself with
watching the pendulum, which was fixed opposite to me,
swinging slowly backward and forward as the vessel rolled^
and marking the angle she touched at each lurch.

" That pendulum's wrong; it is not properly weighted,"
suddenly said a voice at my shoulder, somewhat testily.
Looking round I saw the naval officer I had noticed when
the passengers came aboard.

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KING Solomon's mines. 7

"Indeed; now what makes you think so?" I asked.

" Think so. I don't think at all. Why there "—as she
righted herself after a roll — " if the ship had really rolled
to the degree that thing pointed to then she would never
have rolled again, that's all. But it is just like these mer-
chant skippers, they always are so confoundedly careless."

Just then the dinner-bell rang, wid I was not sorry, for
it is a dreadful thing to have to listen to an officer of the
Royal Navy when he gets on to that subject. I only
know one worse thing, and that is to hear a merchant
skipper express his candid opinwn of officers of the Royal
Navy.

Captain Good and I went down to dinner together, and
there we found Sir Henry Curtis already seated. He and
Captain Good sat together, and I sat opposite to them.
The captain and I soon got into talk about shooting and
what not, he asking me many questions, and I answering
as well as I could. Presently he got on to elephants.

" Ah, sir," called out somebody who was sitting near
me, "you've got to the right man for that; Hunter Qua-
termain should be able to tell you about elephants if any-
body can."

Sir Henry, who had been sitting quite quiet listening to
our talk, started visibly.

"Excuse me, sir," he said, leaning forward across the
table, and speaking in a low, deep voice, a very suitable
**voice, it seemed to me, to come out of those great lungs.
" Excuse me, sir, but is your name Allan Quatermain?"

I said it was.

The big man made no further remark, but I heard him
mutter " fortunate " into his beard.

Presently dinner came to an end, and as we were leav-

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ing the saloon Sir Henry came up and asked me if I
would come into his cabin and smoke a pipe. I accepted^
and he led the way to the Dunhdd deck cabin, and a very
good cabin it was. It had been two cabins, but when Sir
Garnet, or one of those big swells, went down the coast
in the Dunhdd they had knocked away the partition and
never put it up again. There was a sofa in the cabin, and
a little table in front of it. Sir Henry sent the steward
for a bottle of whiskey, and the thr^e of us sat down and
lit our pipes.

"Mr. Quatermain," srfd Sir Henry Curtis, when the
steward had brought the whiskey and lit the lamp, " the
year before last, about this time, you were, I believe, at
a place called Bamangwato, to the north of the Trans-
vaal."

" I was," I answered, rather surprised that this gentle-
man should be so well acquainted with my movements,
which were not, so far as I was aware, considered of gen-
eral interest.

"You were trading there, were you not?" put in Cap-
tain Good, in his quick way.

" I was. I took up a wagon-load of goods and made a
camp outside the settlement, and stopped till I had sold
them."

Sir Henry was sitting opposite to me in a Madeira chair,
his arms leaning on the table. He now looked up, fixing
his large gray eyes full upon my face. There was a curi-
ous anxiety in them, I thought.

" Did you happen to meet a man called Neville there ?"

" Oh, yes ; he outspanned alongside of me for a fort-
night, to rest his oxen before going on to the interior. 1
had a letter from a lawyer, a few months back, asking me

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KING Solomon's minbs. A

if I knew what had become of him, which I answered to
the best of my ability at the time."

"Yes," said Sir Henry, "your letter was forwarded to
me. You said in it that the gentleman called Neville left
Bamangwato in the beginning of May, in a wagon, with
a driver, a voorlooper, and a Kaffir hunter called Jim, an-
nouncing his intention of trekking, if possible, as far as
Inyati, the extreme trading-post in t]ie Matabele country,
where he would sell his wagon and proceed on foot. You
also said that he did sell his wa^on, for, six months after-
wards, you saw the wagon in the possession of a Portu-
guese trader, who told you that he had bought it at In-
yati from a white man whose name he had forgotten, and
that the white man, with a native servant, had started off
for the interior on a shooting trip, he believed."

**Yes."

Then came a pause.

"Mr. Quatermain," said Sir Henry, suddenly, "I sup-
pose you know or can guess nothing more of the reasons
of my — of Mr. Neville's journey to the northward, or as
to what point that journey was directed ?"

"I heard something," I answered, and stopped. The
subject was one which I did not dare to discuss.

Sir Henry and Captain Good looked at each other, and
Captain Good nodded.

" Mr. Quatermain," said the former, " I am going to tell
you a story, and ask your advice, and perhaps your assist-
ance. The agent who forwarded me your letter told me
that I might implicitly rely upon it, as you were," he said,
"well known and universally respected in Natal, and espe-
cially noted for your discretion.""

I bowed, and drank some whiskey-and-water to Ude my

10 KING Solomon's mines.

conf aiion, for I am a modest man ; and Sir Henry went
on.

"Mr. Neville was my brother."

"Oh," I said, starting; for now I knew who Sir Henry
had reminded me of when I first saw him. His brother
was a much smaller man and had a dark beard, but, now I
thought of it, he possessed eyes of the same shade of gray
and with the same keen look in them, and the features,
too, were not imlike.

" He was," went on Sir Henry, " my only and younger
brother, and till five years ago I do not suppose we were
ever a month away from each other. But just about five
years ago a misfortune befell us, as sometimes does hap-
pen in families. We had quarrelled bitterly, and I be-
haved very unjustly to my brother in my anger." Here
Captain Good nodded his head vigorously to himself.
The ship gave a big roll just then, so that the looking-
glass, which was fixed opposite us to starboard, was for a
moment nearly over our heads, and as I was sitting with
my hands in my pockets and staring upward, I could see
him nodding like anything.

"As I dare say you know," went on Sir Henry, "if a
man dies intestate, and has no property but land — real
property it is called in England — ^it all descends to his eld-
est son. It so happened that just at the time when we
quarrelled our father died intestate. He had put off
making his will until it was too late. The result was that
my brother, who had not been brought up to any profes-
sion, was left without a penny. Of course it would have
been my duty to provide for him, but at the time the
quarrel between us was so bitter that I did not — to my

shame I say it (and he sighed deeply) — offer Jto do any-
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KING SOLOMOIf'S MOnCS. ll

thing. It was Dot that I grudged him anything^ but I
waited for him to make advances, and he made none. I
am sorry to trouble you with all this, Mr. Quatermain, but
I must, to make things clear; eh, Good?"

" Quite so, quite so," ssdd the captain. ^^ Mr. Quater-
main will, I am s];ire, keep this history to himself."

" Of course," said I, for I rather pride myself on my
discretion.

" Well," went on Sir Henry, " my brother had a few
hundred pounds to his account at the time, and without
saying anything to me he drew out this paltry sum, and,
having adopted the name of Neville, started off for South
Africa in the wild hope of making a fortune. This I
heard afterwards. Some three years passed, and I heard
nothing of my brother, though I wrote several times.
Doubtless the letters never reached him. But as time
went on I grew more and more troubled about him. I
found out, Mr. Quatermain, that blood is thicker than
water."

"That's true," said I, thinking of my boy Harry.

" I found out, Mr. Quatermain, that I would have given
half my fortune to know that my brother George, the
only relation I have, was safe and well, and that I should
see him again."

" But you never did, Curtis," jerked out Captain Good,
glancing at the big man's face.

" Well, Mr. Quatermain, as time went on I became more
and more anxious to find out if my brother was alive or
dead, and, if alive, to get him home again. I set inquiries
on foot, and your letter was one of the results. So far as
it went it was satisfactory, for it showed that till lately
George was alive ; but it did not go far enough. So, to

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cut a long story short, I made up my mind to come out
and look for him myself, and Captain Good was so kind
as to come with me."

" Yes," said the captain ; " nothing else to do, you see.
Turned out by my lords of the admiralty to starve on
half-pay. And now, perhaps, sir, you will tell us what
you know or have heard of the gentleman called Neville."

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CHAPTER IL

THB LEGEND OP SOLOMON's MINES.

** What was it that you hear4 about my brother's jour-
ney at Bamangwato ?" said Sir Henry, as I paused to fill
my pipe before answering Captain Good.

" I heard this," I answered, " and I have never men*
tioned it to a soul till to-day. I heard that he was start-
ing for Solomon's Mines."

" Solomon's Mines !" ejaculated both my hearers at once.
« Where are they?"

"I don't know," I said; "I know where they are said
to be. I once saw the peaks of the mountains that border
them, but there was a hundred and thirty miles of desert
between me and them, and I am not aware that any white
man ever got across it, save one. But perhaps the best
thing I can do is to tell yoii the legend of Solomon's Mines
as I know it, you passing your word not icy reveal any-
thing I tell you without my permission. Do you agree to
that? I have my reasons for asking it."

Sir Henry nodded, and Captain Good replied, " Certain-
ly, certainly."

" Well," I began, " as you may guess, in a general way
elephant-hunters are a rough set of men, and don't trouble
themselves with much beyond the facts of life and the
ways of Kaffirs. But here and there you meet a man who
takes the trouble to collect traditions from the natives, and
tries to make out a little piece of the history of this dark

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14 KING Solomon's mikbs.

land. It was sach a man as this who first told me the
legend of Solomon's Mines, now a matter of nearly thirty
years ago. It was when I was on my first elephant-hunt
in the Matabele country. His name was Evans, and he
was killed next year, poor fellow, by a wounded buffalo,
and lies buried near the Zambesi Falls. I was telling
Evans one night, I remember, of some wonderful workings
I had found while hunting koodoo and eland in what is
now the Lydenburg district of the Transvaal. I see they
have come across these workings again lately in prospect-
ing for gold, but I knew of them years ago. There is a
great wide wagon-road cut out of the solid rock, and lead-
ing to the mouth of the working or gallery. Inside the
mouth of this gallery are stacks of gold quartz piled up
ready for crushing, which shows that the workers, who-
ever they were, must have left in a hurry, and about
twenty paces in the gallery is built across, and a beautiful
bit of masonry it is.

" * Ay,' said Evans, * but I will tell you a queerer thing
than that ;' and he went on to tell me how he had found
in the far interior a ruined city, which he believed to be
the Ophir of the Bible — and, by the way, other more
learned men have said the same long since poor Evans's
time. I was, I remember, listening open-eared to all these
wonders, for I was young at the time, and this story of an
ancient civilization, and of the treasure which those old
Jewish or Phoenician adventurers used to extract from a
country long since lapsed into the darkest barbarism, took
a great hold upon my imagination, when suddenly he said
to me, * Lad, did you ever hear of the Suliman Mountains
up to the northwest of the Mashukulumbwe country?'
I told him I never had. ' Ah, well,' he said, ' that was

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KING Solomon's mikes. 15

where Solomon really had his mines — his diamond mines,
I mean.'

" *How do you know that?' I asked.

"'Know it? why, what is "Suliman" but a corruption
of Solomon?* and, besides, an old Isanusi (witch doctor)
up in the Manica country told me all about it. She said
that the people who lived across those mountains were a
branch of the Zulus, speaking a dialect of Zulu, but finer
and bigger men even ; that there lived among them great
wizards, who had learned their art from white men when
'* all the world was dark," and who had the secret of a
wonderful mine of " bright stones." '

" Well, I laughed at this story at the time, though it in-
terested me, for the diamond fields were not discovered
then, and poor Evans went off and got killed, and for
twenty years I never thought any more of the matter.
But just twenty years afterwards — and that is a long
time, gentlemen ; an elephant-hunter does not often live
for twenty years at his business — I heard something more
definite about Suliman's Mountains and the country which
lies beyond them. I was up beyond the Manica country at
a place called Sitanda's Kraal, and a miserable place it was,
for one could get nothing to eat there, and there was but
little game about. I had an attack of fever, and was in a
bad way generally, when one day a Portugee arrived with
a single companion — a half-breed. Now I know your
Delagoa Portugee well. There is no greater devil un-
hung, in a general way, battening as he does upon human
agony and flesh in the shape of slaves. But this was quite
a different type of man to the low fellows I had been ac-

* Suliman is the Arabic fonn of Solomon. — Editor,

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16 kmo Solomon's minss.

ouBtomed to meet; he reminded me more of the polite
dons I have read about. He was tall and thin, with large
dark eyes and curling gray mustache. We talked to-
gether a little, for he could speak broken English, and I
understood a little Portugee, and he told me that his
name was Jos6 Silvestre, and that he had a place near
Delagoa Bay ; and when he went on next day, with his
half-breed companion, he said, * Good-bye,' taking off his
hat quite in the old style. * Good-bye, senor,' he said;
* if ever we meet again I shall be the richest man in the
world, and I wiU remember you.' I laughed a little — ^I
was too weak to laugh much — and watched him strike out
for the great desert to the west, wondering if he was mad,
or what he thought he was going to find there.

"A week passed, and I got the better of my fever.
One evening I was sitting on the ground in front of the
little tent I had with me, chewing the last leg of a miser-
able fowl I had bought from a native for a bit of cloth
worth twenty fowls, and staring at the hot, red sun sink-
ing down into the desert, when suddenly I saw a figure,
apparently that of a European, for it wore a coat, on the
slope of the rising ground opposite to me, about three
hundred yards away. The figure crept along on its hands
and knees, then it got up and staggered along a few yards
on its legs, only to fall and crawl along again. Seeing
that it must be somebody in distress, I sent one of my
hunters to help him, and presently he arrived, and who do
you suppose it turned out to be ?"
" Jos6 Silvestre, of course," said Captain Good.
" Yes, Jos6 Silvestre, or rather his skeleton and a littk
skin. His face was bright yellow with bilious fever, and
his large> ^hMfk e^fes stood nearly out of his h^ad, for all

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KING SOLOMON S MINES. 17

his flesh had gone. There was nothing but yellow, parch-
ment-like skin, white hair, and the gaunt bones sticking
up beneath.

" ' Water I for the sake of Christ, water !' he moaned.
I saw that his lips were cracked, and his tongue, which
protruded between them, was swollen and blackish.

^^ I gave him water with a little milk in it, and he drank
it in great gulps, two quarts or more, without stopping.
I would not let him have any more. Then the fever took
him again, and he fell down and began to rave about Suli-
man's Mountains, and the diamonds, and the desert. I
took him into the tent and did what I could for him,
which was little enough ; but I saw how it must end.
About eleven o'clock he got quieter, and I lay down for a
little rest and went to sleep. At dawn I woke again, and
saw him in the half light sitting up, a strange, gaunt
form, and gazing out towards the desert. Presently the
first ray of the sun shot right across the wide plain before
us till it reached the far-away crest of one of the tallest of
the Suliman Mountains, more than a hundred miles away.

" * There it is V cried the dying man in Portuguese,
stretching out his long, thin arm, * but I shall never reach
it, never. No one will ever reach it !'

^^ Suddenly he paused, and seemed to take a resolution.
* Friend,' he said, turning towards me, * are you there f
My eyes grow dark.'

" ' Yes,' I said; *yes, lie down now, and rest.'

"* Ay,' he answered, *I shall rest soon; I have time to
rest — all eternity. Listen, I am dying I You have been
good to me. I will give you the paper. Perhaps you will
get there if you can live through the desert, which has
killed my poor servant and me.'

O Digitized by VjOOQ IC

18

" Then he groped in his shirt and brought out what I
thought was a Boer tobacco-pouch of the skin of the Swart-
vet-pens (sable antelope). It was fastened with a little
strip of hide, what we call a rimpi, and this he tried to
untie, but could not. He handed it to me. ' Untie it,' he
said. I did so, and extracted a bit of torn yellow linen,
on which something was written in rusty letters. Inside
was a paper.

" Then he went on feebly, for he was growing weak :
^ The paper has it all, that is on the rag. It took me years
to read. Listen : my ancestor, a political refugee from
Lisbon and one of the first Portuguese who landed on
these shores, wrote that when he was dying on those moun-
tains which no white foot ever pressed before or since.
His name was Jos6 da Silvestra, and he lived three hun-
dred years ago. His slave, who waited for him on this
side the mountains, found him dead, and brought the
writing home to Delagoa. It has been in the family ever
since, but none have cared to read it till at last I did.
And I have lost my life over it, but another may succeed,
and become the richest man in the world — the richest man
in the world. Only give it to no one; go yourself !' Then
he began to wander again, and in an hour it was all over.

" God rest him ! he died very quietly, and I buried him
deep, with big boulders on his breast ; so I do not think
that the jackals can have dug him up. And then I came
away."

" Ay, but the document," said Sir Henry, in a tone of
deep interest.

" Yes, the document; what was in it?" added the captain.

" Well, gentlemen, if you like I will tell you. I have
never showed it to anybody yet except my dear wife, who

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KINO Solomon's minbs.

19

is dead, and she thought it was all nonsense, and a drunken
old Portuguese trader who translated it for me, and had
forgotten all about it next morning. The original rag is
at my home in Durban, together with poor Don Jos6's
translation, but I have the English rendering in my pocket-
book, and a f ac-simile of the map, if it can be called a map.
Here it is."

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i^O KING SOLOMOX'S MINES.

** I, Jo84 da Silvestra, who am now dying of hunger in the little cave
where no snow is on the north side of the nipple of the southernmost of
the two mountains I have named Sheba^s Breasts, write this in the year
1690 with a cleft bone upon a remnant of my raiment, my blood being the
ink. If my slave should find it when he comes, and should bring it to
Delagoa, let my friend (name illegible) bring the matter to the knowledge
of the king, that he may send an army which, if they live through the
desert and the mountains, and can overcome the brave Kukuanes and
their devilish arts, to which end many priests should be brought, will
make him the richest king since Solomon. With my own eyes have I
seen the countless diamonds stored in Solomon's treasure-chamber behind
the white Death ; but through the treachery of Gagool the witch-finder I
might bring nought away, scarcely my life. Let him who comes follow
the map, and climb the snow of Sheba's left breast till he comes to the
nipple, on the north side of which is the great road Solomon made, from
whence three days' journey to the King's Place. Let him kill Gagool.
Pray for my souL Farewell Josrf da Silvestra." *

When I had finished reading the above and shown the
copy of the map, drawn by the dying hand of the old don

■"'""^ ^liiu Jos6 da Silvestra que estou morrendo de fome nd pequena cova
onde n&o ha neve ao lado norte do bico mais ao sul das duas montanhas
que chamei seio de Sheba ; escrevo isto no anno 1690 ; escrevo isto com
um peda90 d' osso n' um farrapo de minha roupa e com sangue meu por
tinta ; se o meu escravo d^r com isto quando venha ao levar para Lourenzo

Marquez, que o meu amigo ( -) leve a cousa ao conhecimento d' El

Rei, para que possa mandar um exercito que, se desfiler pelo deserto e
pelas montanhas e mesmo sobrepujar os bravos Kukuanes e suas artes
diabolicas, pelo que se deviam trazer muitos padres Fara o Rei mais rico
depois de SalomSo. Com mens proprios olhos v^ os di amantes sem conto
guardados nas camaras do thesouro de Salomao a traz da morte branca,
mas pela trai^ao de Gagoal a feiticeira achadora, nada poderia levar, e
apenas a minha vida. Quem vier siga o mappa e trepe pela neve de Sheba
peito k esquerda ate chegar ao bico, do lado norte do qual est^ a grande
estrada do SalomSo por elle feita, donde ha tres dias de joumada at6 ao
Palacio do Rei. Mate Gagoal. Reze por minha alma. Adeos.

«< JoSli DA SiLTiffnu.*'

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by Google I

i

KING Solomon's mines. 21

with his blood for ink, there followed a silence of aston-
ishment.

" Well," said Captain Good, " I have been round the
world twice, and put in at most ports, but may I be hung
if I ever heard a yarn like that out of a story-book, or in
it either, for the matter of that."

" It's a queer story, Mr. Quatermain," said Sir Henry.
" I suppose you are not hoaxing us ? It is, I know, Some-
times thought allowable to take a greenhorn in."

" If you think that. Sir Henry," I said, much put out,
and pocketing my paper, for I do not like to be thought
one of those silly fellows who consider it witty to tell lies,
and who are forever boasting to new-comers of extraor-
dinary hunting adventures which never happened, " why
there is an end of the matter," and I rose to go.

Sir Henry laid his large hand upon my shoulder. " Sit
down, Mr. Quatermain," he said, "I beg your pardon; I
see very well you do not wish to deceive us, but the story
sounded so extraordinary that I could hardly believe it."

" You shall see the original map and writing when we
reach Durban," I said, somewhat mollified; for really, when
I came to consider the matter, it was scarcely wonderful
that he should doubt my good faith. " But I have not
told you about your brother. I knew the man Jim who
was with him. He was a Bechuana by birth, a good hunt-
er, and, for a native, a very clever man. The morning Mr.
Neville was starting, I saw Jim standing by my wagon
arid cutting up tobacco on the disselboom.

" * Jim,' said I, ' where are you off to this trip ? Is it
elephants ?'

" ' No, Bass,' he answered, ' we are after something worth
more than ivory.'

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22 KING Solomon's mines.

"'And what might that be?' I said; for I was curious,
as it gold?'

" ' No, Baas, something worth more than gold,' and he
grinned.

" I did not ask any more questions, for I did not like to
lower my dignity by seeming curious, but I was puzzled.
Presently Jim finished cutting his tobacco.

" ' Baas,' said he.

" I took no notice.

" ' Baas,' said he again.

" ' Eh, boy, what is it ?' said I.

" ' Baas, we are going after diamonds.'

" ' Diamonds ! why, then, you are going in the wrong
direction; you should head for the Fields.'
- " ' Baas, have you ever heard of Suliman's Berg ?' (Sol-
omon's Mountains.)

"'Ay!'

" * Have you ever heard of the diamonds there ?'

" ' I have heard a foolish stoiy, Jim.'

" ' It is no story. Baas. I once knew a woman who came
from there, and got to Natal with her child. She told mef
she is dead now.'

" ' Your master will feed the assvogels (vultures), Jim,
if he tries to reach Suliman's country, and so will you, if
they can get any pickings off your worthless old carcass/
said I.

"He grinned. 'Mayhap, Baas. Man must die; I'd
rather like to try a new country myself; the elephants are
getting worked out about here.'

"'Ah ! my boy,' I said, 'you wait till the "pale old
man " (death) gets a grip of your yellow throat, and then
we'll hear what sort of a tune you sing,'

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. 23

" Half an hour after that I saw Neville's wagon move
off. Presently Jim came running back. * Good-bye, Baas,'
he said. ' I didn't like to start without bidding you good-
bye, for I dare say you are right, and we shall never come
back again.'

" *Is your master really going to Suliman's Berg, Jim,
or are you lying ?'

" * No,' says he; 'he is going. He told me he was bound
to make his fortune somehow, or try to ; so he might as
well try the diamonds.'

"*0h !' said I; 'wait a bit, Jim; will you take a note
to your master, Jim, and promise not to give it to him
until you reach Inyati?' (which was some hundred miles off).

"'Yes,' said he.

"So I took a scrap of paper and wrote on it, 'Let him
who comes . . . climb the snow of Sheba's left breast, till
he comes to the nipple, on the north side of which is Solo-
mon's great road.'

" Now, Jim,' I said, ' when you give this to your mas-
ter, tell him he had better follow the advice implicitly.
You are not to give it to him now, because I don't want
him back asking me questions which I won't answer. Now
be off, you idle fellow, the wagon is nearly out of sight."

" Jim took the note and went, and that is all I know
about your brother, Sir Henry; but I am much afraid — "

" Mr. Quatermain," said Sir Henry, " I am going to look
for my brother ; I am going to trace him to Suliman's
Mountains, and over them, if necessary, until I find him,
or ?intil I know that he is dead. Will you come with
me ?"

I am, as I think I have said, a cautious man. indeed a
timid one, and I shrank from such an idea. It seemed to

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24 KING Solomon's mines.

me that to start on such a journey would be to go to cpt-
tain death, and, putting other things aside, as I had a son
to support, I could not afford to die just then.

" No, thank you. Sir Henry, I think I had rather not,"
I answered. " I am too old for wild-goose chases of that
sort, and we should only end up like my poor friend Sil-
vestre. I have a son dependent on me, so cannot afford
to risk my life."

Both Sir Henry and Captain Good looked very disap-
pointed.

" Mr. Quatermain," said the former, " I am well off, and
I am bent upon this business. You may put the remu-
neration for your services at whatever figure you like, in
reason, and it shall be paid over to you before we start.
Moreover, I will, before we start, arrange that in the event
of anything happening to us or to you, your son shall
be suitably provided for. You will see from this how
necessary I think your presence. Also, if by any chance
we should reach this place, and find diamonds, they shall
belong to you and Good equally. I do not want them.
But of course the chance is as good as nothing, though the
same thing would apply to any ivory we might get. You
may pretty well make your own terms with me, Mr. Qua-
terraain; of course I shall pay all expenses."

** Sir Henry," said I, " this is the most liberal offer I
ever had, and one not to be sneezed at by a poor hunter
and trader. But the job is the biggest I ever came across,
and I must take time to think it over. I will give you my
answer before we get to Durban."

" Very good," answered Sir Henry, and then I said good-
night and turned in, and dreamed about poor, long-dead
Silvestre and the diamonds.

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CHAPTER in.

XJMBOPA ENTEBS OUR SEBVICB.

It takes from four to five days, according to the vessel
and the state of the weather, to run up from the Cape to
Durban. Sometimes, if the landing is bad at East Lon-
don, where they have not yet got that wonderful harbor
they talk so much of and sink such a mint of money in,
one is delayed for twenty-four hours before the cargo
boats can get out to take the goods off. But on this occa-
sion we had not to wait at all, for there were no breakers
on the bar to speak of, and the tugs came out at once with
their long strings of ugly, flat-bottomed boats, into which
the goods were bundled with a crash. It did not matter
what they were, over they went, slap-bang ! whether they
were china or woollen goods they met with the same treat-
ment. I saw one case containing four dozen of cham-
pagne smashed all to bits, and there was the champagne
fizzing and boiling about in the bottom of the dirty cargo-
boat It was a wicked waste, and so evidently the Kaffirs
in the boat thought, for they found a couple of unbroken
bottles, and knocking the tops off drank the contents. But
they had not allowed for the expansion caused by the fizz
in the wine, and feeling themselves swelling, rolled about
in the bottom of the boat, calling out that the good liquor
was "tagati" (bewitched). I spoke to them from the ves-
sel, and told them that it was the white man's strongest
medicine^ and that they were as good as dead men. They

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26 KING Solomon's minbs.

went on to the shore in a very great fright, and I do not
think that they will touch champagne again.

Well, all the time we were running up to Natal I was
thinking over Sir Henry Curtis's offer. We did not speak
any more on the subject for a day or two, though I told
them many hunting yarns, all true ones. There is no need
to tell lies about hunting, for so many curious things hap-
pen within the knowledge of a man whose business it is
to hunt; but this is by the way.

At last, one beautiful evening in January, which is our
hottest month, we steamed along the coast of Natal, ex-
pecting to make Durban Point by sunset. It is a lovely
coast all along from East London, with its red sandhills
and wide sweeps of vivid green, dotted here and there
with Kaffir kraals, and bordered by a ribbon of white surf
which spouts up in pillars of foam where it hits the rocks.
But just before you get to Durban there is a peculiar rich-
ness about it. There are the deep kloofs cut in the hills
by the rushing rains of centuries, down which the rivers
sparkle; there is the deepest green of the bush, growing
as God planted it, and the other greens of the mealie-gar-
dens and the sugar-patches, while here and there a white
house, smiling out at the placid sea, puts a finish and gives
an air of homeliness to the scene. For to my mind, how-
ever beautiful a view may be, it requires the presence of
man to make it complete, but perhaps that is because I
have lived so much in the wilderness, and therefore know
the value of civilization, though, to be sure, it drives away
the game. The Garden of Eden, no doubt, was fair before
man was, but I always think it must have been fairer when
Eve was walking about it. But we had miscalculated a
little, and the sun was well down before we dropped jin-

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KING SOLOMON ^S MINSS. 27

chor off the Point, and beard the gun which told the good
folk that the English mail was in. It was too late to
think of getting over the bar that night, so we went down
comfortably to dinner, after seeing the mail carried off in
the lifeboat.

When we came up again the moon was up, and shining
so brightly over sea and shore that she almost paled the
quick, large flashes from the lighthouse. From the shore
floated sweet spicy odors that always remind me of hymns
and missionaries, and in the windows of the houses on the
Berea sparkle a hundred lights. From a large brig lying
near came the music of the sailors as they worked at get-
ting the anchor up to be ready for the wind. Altogether
it was a perfect night, such a night as you only get in
southern Africa, and it threw a garment of peace over
everybody as the moon threw a garment of silver over
everything. Even the great bulldog, belonging to a sport-
ing passenger, seemed to yield to the gentle influences,
and, giving up yearning to come to close quarters with the
baboon in a cage on the f o'k'sle, snored happily in the door
of the cabin, dreaming, no doubt, that he had finished him,
and happy in his dream.

We all — that is. Sir Henry Curtis, Captain Good, and
myself — went and sat by the wheel, and were quiet for a
while.

"Well, Mr. Quatermain," said Sir Henry, presently,
" have you been thinking about my proposals ?"

" Ay," echoed Captain Good, " what do you think of
them, Mr. Quatermain? I hope you are going to give
us the pleasure of your company as far as Solomon's Mines,
or wherever the gentleman you knew as Neville may have
got to."

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28 KING Solomon's mines.

I rose and knocked out my pipe before I answered. I
had not made up my mind, and wanted the additional mo-
ment to complete it. Before the burning tobacco had
fallen into the sea it was completed ; just that little extra
second did the trick. It is often the way when you have
been bothering a long time over a thing.

" Yes, gentlemen," I said, sitting down again, " I will go,
and by your leave I will tell you why and on what terms.
First, for the terms which I ask.

" 1. You are to pay all expenses, and any ivory or other
valuables we may get is to be divided between Captain
Good and myself.

" 2. That you pay me £500 for my service on the trip
before we start, I undertaking to serve you faithfully till
you choose to abandon the enterprise, or till we succeed,
or disaster overtakes us.

" 3. That before we start you execute a deed agreeing
in the event of my death or disablement, to pay my boy
Harry, who is studying medicine over there in London at
Guy's Hospital, a sum of £200 a year for five years, by
which time he ought to be able to earn a living for him-
self. That is all, I think, and I dare say you will say quite
enough, too."

" No," answered Sir Henry, " I accept them gladly. I
am bent upon this project, and would pay more than that
for your help, especially considering the peculiar knowl-
edge you possess."

" Very well. And now that I have made my terms I
will tell you my reasons- for making up my mind to go.
First of all, gentlemen, I have been observing you both for
the last few days, and if you will not think me imperti-
nent I will say that I like you, and think tbat^ we shall

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KING Solomon's mines. 29

come up well to the yoke together. That is something,
let me tell you, when one has a long journey like this be-
fore one.

" And now as to the jouraey itself, I tell you flatly, Sir
Henry and Captain Good, that I do not think it probable
that we can come out of it alive, that is, if we attempt to
cross the Suliman Mountains. What was the fate of the
old Don da Silvestra three hundred years ago? What
was the fate of his descendant twenty years ago ? What
has been your brother's fate ? I tell you frankly, gentle-
men, that as their fate was so I believe ours will be."

I paused to watch the effect of my words. Captain
Good looked a little uncomfortable ; but Sir Henry's face
did not change. " We must take our chance," he said.

" You may perhaps wonder," I went on, " why, if I think
this, I, who am, as I told you, a timid man, should under-
take such a journey. It is for two reasons. First, I am a
fatalist, and believe that my time is appointed to come
quite independently of my own movements, and that if I
am to go to Suliman Mountains to be killed, I shall go
there and shall be killed there. God Almighty, no doubt,
knows his mind about me, so I need not trouble on that
point. Secondly, I am a poor man. For nearly forty
years I have hunted and traded, but I have never made
more than a living. Well, gentlemen, I don't know if you
are aware that the average life of an elephant-hunter from
the time he takes to the trade is from four to five years.
So you see I have lived through about seven generations
of my class, and I should think that my time cannot be
far off, any way. Now, if anything were to happen to me
in the ordinary course of business, by the time my debts
were paid there would be nothing left to support mv so)

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30 KING SOLOMON^S MINES.

Harry while be was getting in the way of earning a living,
whereas now he would be provided for for five years.
There is the whole affair in a nutshell."

*' Mr. Quatermain," said Sir Henry, who bad been giv-
ing me the most serious attention, "your motives for un-
dertaking an enterprise which you believe can only end in
disaster reflect a great deal of credit on you. Whether
or not you are right, time and the event, of course, alone
can show. But whether you are right or wrong, I may as
well tell you at once that I am going through with it to
the end, sweet or bitter. If we are going to be knocked
on the head, all that I have to say is that I hope we shall
get a little shooting first— eh. Good ?"

" Yes, yes," put in the captain. " We have all three of
us been accustomed to face danger, and hold our lives in
our hands in various ways, so it is no good turning back
now."

**And now I vote we go down to the saloon and take
an observation, just for luck, you know." And we did —
through the bottom of a tumbler.

Next day we went ashore, and I put Sir Henry and
Captain Good tip at the little shanty I have on the Berea,
and which I call my home. There are only three rooms
and a kitchen in it, and it is built of green brick with a
galvanized iron roof, but there is a good garden, with the
best loquot-trees in it that I know, and some nice young
mangoes, of which I hope great things. The curator of
the botanical gardens gave them to me. It is looked after
by an old hunter of mine, named Jack, whose thigh was
so badly broken by a buffalo cow in SikukunXs country
that he will never hunt again. But he can potter about
and garden, being a Griqua by birth. You can never get

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KING Solomon's mines. 31

your Zulu to take much interest in gardening. It is a
peaceful art, and peaceful arts are not in his line.

Sir Henry and Good slept in a tent pitched in my little
grove of orange-trees at the end of the garden (for there
was no room for them in the house), and what with the
smell of the bloom and the sight of the green and golden
fruit — for in Durban you will see all three on the tree to-
gether — I dare say it is a pleasant place enough (for we
have few mosquitoes here unless there happens to come an
unusually heavy rain).

Well, to get on — ^for unless I do you will be tired of my
story before ever we fetch up at Suliman's Mountains —
having once made up my mind to go, I set about making
the necessary preparations. First I got the deed from Sir
Henry, providing for my boy in case of accidents. There
was some little difficulty about getting this legally ex-
ecuted, as Sir Henry was a stranger here, and the property
to be charged was over the water; but it was ultimately
got over with the help of a lawyer, who charged £20 for
the job — a price that I thought outrageous. Then I got
my check for £500. Having paid this tribute to my
bump of caution, I bought a wagon and a span of oxen on
Sir Henry's behalf, and beauties they were. It was a
twenty-two-foot wagon with iron axles, very strong, very
light, and built throughout of stink-wood. It was not
quite a new one, having been to the Diamond Fields and
back, but in my opinion it was all the better for that, for
one could see that the wood was well-seasoned. If any-
thing is going to give in a wagon, or if there is green wood
in it, it will show out on the first trip. It was what we
call a ** half -tented " wagon — that is to say, it was only
covered in over the after twelve feet, leaving a11 thcrfront

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32 KING Solomon's mines.

part free for the necessaries we had to carry with us. In
this after part was a hide " cartle," or bed, on which two
people could sleep, also racks for rifles, and many other
little conveniences. I gave £125 for it, and think it was
cheap at the price. Then I bought a beautiful team of
twenty salted Zulu oxen, which I had had my eye on for
a year or two. Sixteen oxen are the usual number for a
team, but I had four extra to allow for casualties. These
Zulu oxen are small and light, not more than half the size
of the Africander oxen, which are generally used for trans-
port purposes; but they will live where the Africander
will starve, and with a light load will make ^\e miles a
day better going, being quicker and not so liable to get
footsore. What is more, this lot were thoroughly " salted "
— that is, they had worked all over South Africa, and so had
become proof (comparatively speaking) against red water,
which so frequently destroys whole teams of oxen when
they get on to strange " veldt " (grass country). As for
" lung sick," which is a dreadful form of pneumonia, very
prevalent in this country, they had all been inoculated
against it. This is done by cutting a slit in the tail of an
ox, and binding in a piece of the diseased lung of an animal
which has died of the sickness. The result is that the ox
sickens, takes the disease in a mild form, which causes its
tail to drop off, as a rule about a foot from the root, and
becomes proof against future attacks. It seems cruel to
rob the animal of his tail, especially in a country where
there are so many flies, but it is better to sacrifice the tail
and keep the ox than to lose both tail and ox, for a tail
without an ox is not much good except to dust with. Still
it does look odd to trek along behind twenty stumps, where
there ought to be tails. It seems as ^^jOJIgii (n^g^[(had

KING Solomon's mines. 33

made a trifling mistake, and stuck the stern ornaments of
a lot of prize bulldogs on to the rumps of the oxen.

Next came the question of provisioning and medicines,
one which required the most careful consideration, for
what one had to do was to avoid lumbering the wagon up,
and yet take everything absolutely necessary. Fortunate-
ly, it turned out that Good was a bit of a doctor, having at
some period in his previous career managed to pass through
a course of medical and surgical instruction, which he had
more or less kept up. He was not, of course, qualified, but
he knew more about it than many a man who could write
M.D. after his name, as we found out afterwards, and he
had a splendid travelling medicine-chest and a set of in-
struments. While we were at Durban he cut off a Kaffir's
big toe in a way which it was a pleasure to see. But he
was quite flabbergasted when the Kaffir, who had sat
stolidly watching the operation, asked him to put on an-
other, saying that a " white one " would do at a pinch.

There remained, when these questions were satisfacto-
rily^ settled, two further important points for consideration,
namely, that of arms and that of servants. As to the arms
I cannot do better than put down a list of those we finally
decided on from among the ample store that Sir Henry
had brought with him from England, and those which I
had. I copy it from my pocket-book, where I made the
entry at the time:

** Three heavy breechloading double-eight elephant guns,
weighing about fifteen pounds each, with a charge of eleven
drachms of black powder." Two of these were by a well-
known London firm, most excellent makers, but I do not
know by whom mine, which was not so highly finished,
was made. I had used it on several trips, and shot a good

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34 KING Solomon's mines.

many elephants with it, and it had always proved a most
superior weapon, thoroughly to be relied on.

"Three double .500 expresses, constructed to carry a
charge of six drachms," sweet weapons, and admirable
for medium-sized game, such as eland or sable antelope, or
for men, especially in an open country and with the semi-
hollow bullet.

"One double No. 12 central-fire Keeper's shotgun, full
choke both barrels." This gun proved of the greatest
service to us afterwards in shooting game for the pot.

" Three Winchester repeating rifles (not carbines), spare
guns.

" Three single-action Colt's revolvers, with the heavier
pattern of cartridge."

This was our total armament, and the reader will doubt-
less observe that the weapons of each class were of the
same make and calibre, so that the cartridges were inter-
changeable, a very important point. I make no apology
for detailing it at length, for every experienced hunter
will know how vital a proper supply of guns and ammuni-
tion is to the success of an expedition.

Now as to the men who were to go with us. After
much consultation we decided that their number should
be limited to five, namely, a driver, a leader, and three
servants.

The driver and leader I got without much difficulty,
two Zulus, named respectively Goza and Tom ; but the
servants were a more difficult matter. It was necessary
that they should be thoroughly trustworthy and brave
men, as in a business of this sort our lives might depend
upon their conduct. At last I secured two, one a Hot-
tentot called Ventvogel (wind-bird), and one a little Zulu

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KING Solomon's mines. 35

named Khiva, who had the merit of speaking English per-
fectly. Ventv5gel I had known before; he was one of the
most perfect " spoorers " (game-trackers) I ever had to do
with, and tough as whipcord. He never seemed to tire.
But he had one failing, so common with his race, drink.
Put him within reach of a bottle of grog and you could
not trust him. But as we were going beyond the region
of grog-shops this little weakness of his did not so much
matter.

Having got these two men I looked in vain for a third
to suit my purpose, so we determined to start without one,
trusting to luck to find a suitable man on our way up coun-
try. But on the evening before the day we had fixed for
our departure the Zulu Khiva informed me that a man
was waiting to see me. Accordingly when we had done
dinner, for we were at table at the time, I told him to
bring him in. Presently a very tall, . handsome-looking
man, somewhere about thirty years of age, and very light-
colored for a Zulu, entered, and, lifting his knob-stick by
way of salute, squatted himself down in the corner on his
haunches and sat silent. I did not take any notice of him
for a while, for it is a great mistake to do so. If you rush
into conversation at once a Zulu is apt to think you a per-
son of little dignity or consideration. I observed, however,
that he was a " Keshla " (ringed man), that is, that he wore
on his head the black ring, made of a species of gum pol-
ished with fat and worked in with the hair, usually assumed
by Zulus on attaining a certain age or dignity. Also it
struck me that his face was familiar to me.

" Well," I said at last, " what is your name ?"

" XJmbopa," answered the man, in a slow, deep voice.

^*I have seen your face before."

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36

"Yes; the Inkoosi (chief) saw my face at the place of
the Little Hand (Isandhlwana) the day before the battle."

Then I remembered. I had been one of Lord Chelms-
ford's guides in that unlucky Zulu war, and had had the
good-fortune to leave the camp in charge of some wagons
the day before the battle. While I had been waiting for
the cattle to be inspanned I had fallen into conversation
with this man, who held some small command among the
native auxiliaries, and he had expressed to me his doubts
of the safety of the camp. At the time I had told him to
bold his tongue, and leave such matters to wiser heads;
but afterwards I thought of his words.

"I remember," I said; "what is it you want?"

" It is this, * Macumazahn * (that is my Kaffir name, and
means the man who gets up in the middle of the night; or,
in vulgar English, he who keeps his eyes open). I hear
that you go on a great expedition far into the north with
the white chiefs from over the water. Is it a time word ?"

"It is."

"I hear that you go even to the Lukanga River, a
moon's journey beyond the Manica country. Is this so
also, * Macumazahn ?' "

" Why do you ask whither we go ? What is it to
thee?" I answered, suspiciously, for the objects of our
journey had been kept a dead secret.

"It is this, O white men, that if indeed you travel so
far I would travel with you."

There was a certain assumption of dignity in the man's
mode of speech, and especially in his use of the words " O
white men," instead of " O Inkosis " (chiefs), which struck
me.

" You forget yourself a little," I said. " Your words

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. 37

come out unawares. That is not the way to speak. What
is your name, and where is your kraal ? Tell us, that we
may know with whom we have to deal. "

" My name is TJmbopa. I am of the Zulu people, yet
not of them. The house of my tribe is in the far north;
it was left behind when the Zulus came down here a
* thousand years ago,' long before Chaka reigned in Zulu-
land. I have no kraal. I have wandered for many years.
I came from the north as a child to Zululand. I was
Cetywayo's man in the Nkomabakosi regiment. I ran
away from Zululand and came to Natal because I want-
ed to see the white man's ways. Then I served against
Cety wayo in the war. Since then I have been working
in Katal. Now I am tired, and would go north again.
Here is not my place. I want no money, but I am a
brave man, and am worth my place and meat. I have
spoken."

I was rather puzzled at this man and his way of speech.
It was evident to me from his manner that he was in the
main telling the truth,. but he was somehow different from
the ordinary run of Zulus, and I rather mistrusted his offer
to come without pay. Being in a difficulty, I translated
his words to Sir Henry and Good, and asked them their
opinion. Sir Henry told me to ask him to stand up.
Umbopa did so, at the same time slipping off the long
military great-coat he wore, and revealing himself naked
except for the moocha round his centre and a necklace of
lions' claws. He certainly was a magnificent-looking man;
I never saw a finer native. Standing about six foot three
high, he was broad in proportion, and very shapely. In
that light, too, his skin looked scarcely more than dark,
except here and there where deep, black scars-marked old

38 KING Solomon's mines.

assegai wounds. Sir Henry walked up to him and looked
into his proud, handsome face. ,

"They make a good pair, don't they?" said Good;
" one as big as the other."

" I like your looks, Mr. TJmbopa, and I will take you as
my servant," said Sir Henry in English.

TJmbopa evidently understood him, for he answered in
Zulu, "It is well;" and then, with a glance at the white
man's great stature and breadth, "we are men^ you and I."

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CHAPTER IV.

AN ELEPHANT HUNT.

Now I do not propose to narrate at full length all the
incidents of our long journey up to Sitanda's Kraal, near
the junction of the Lukanga and Kalukwe rivers, a jour-
ney of more than a thousand miles from Durban, the last
three hundred or so of which, owing to the frequent pres-
ence of the dreadful " tsetse " fly, whose bite is fatal to all
animals except donkeys and men, we had to make on foot.

We left Durban at the end of January, and it was in
the second week of May that we camped near Sitanda's
Kraal. Our adventures on the way were many and vari-
ous, but as they were of the sort which befall every Afri-
can hunter, I shall not — with one exception to be present-
ly detailed — set them down here, lest I should render this
history too wearisome.

At Inyati, the outlying trading station in the Matabele
country, of which Lobengula (a great scoundrel) is king,
we with many regrets parted from our comfortable wagon.
Only twelve oxen remained to us out of the beautiful span
of twenty which I had bought at Durban. One we had
lost from the bite of a cobra, three had perished from
poverty and the want of water, one had been lost, and the
other three had died from eating the poisonous herb called
" tulip." Five more sickened from this cause, but we man-
aged to cure them with doses of an infusion made by boil-
ing down the tulip-leaves. If administered in time this

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40 KING Solomon's mines.

is a very effective antidote. The wagon and oxen we left
in the immediate charge of Goza and Tom, the driver and
leader, both of them trustworthy boys, requesting a wor-
thy Scotch missionary who lived in this wild place to keep
an eye to it. Then, accompanied by Umbopa, Khiva,
Ventv5gel, and half a dozen bearers whom we hired on
the spot, we started off on foot upon our wild quest. I
remember we were all a little silent on the occasion of
that departure, and I think that each of us was wonder-
ing if we should ever see that wagon again; for my part
I never expected to. For a while we tramped on in si-
lence, till Umbopa, who was marching in front, broke into
a Zulu chant about how some brave men, tired of life and
the tameness of things, started off into a great wilderness
to find new things or die, and how, lo, and behold! when
they had got far into the wilderness, they found it was
not a wilderness at all, but a beautiful place full of young
wives and fat cattle, of game to hunt and enemies to kill.

Then we all laughed and took it for a good omen. He
was a cheerful savage, was TJmbopa, in a dignified sort of
way, when he had not got one of his fits of brooding,
and had a wonderful knack of keeping one's spirits up.
We all got very fond of him.

And now for the one adventure I am going to treat my-
self to, for I do heartily love a hunting yam.

About a fortnight's march from Inyati we came across
a peculiarly beautiful bit of fairly-watered wooded coun-
try. The kloofs in the hills were covered with dense bush,
"idoro" bush as the natives call it, and in some places
with the " wacht-een-beche " (wait-a-little) thorn, and there
were great quantities of the beautiful " machabell " tree,
laden with refreshing yellow fruit with enonn^us stones.

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KING Solomon's mines. 41

This tree is the elephant's favorite food, and there were
not wanting signs that the great brutes were about, for
not only was their spoor frequent, but in many places the
trees were broken down and even uprooted. The elephant
is a destructive feeder.

One evening, after a long day's march, we came to a
spot of peculiar loveliness. At the foot of a bush-clad
hill was a dry river-bed, in which, however, were to be
found pools of crystal water all trodden round with the
hoof -prints of game. Facing this hill was a parklike
plain, where grew clumps of flat-topped mimosa, varied
with occasional glossy-leaved machabells, and all round
was the great sea of pathless, silent bush.

As we emerged into this river-bed path we suddenly
started a troop of tall giraffes, who galloped, or, rather,
sailed off, with their strange gait, their tails screwed up.
over their backs, and their hoofs rattling like castanets.
They were about three hundred yards from us, and there-
fore practically out of shot, but Good, who was walking
ahead and had an express loaded with solid ball in his
hand, could not resist, but upped gun and let drive at the
last, a young cow. By some extraordinary chance the ball
struck it full on the back of the neck, shattering the spinal
column, and that giraffe went rolling head over heels just
like a rabbit. I never saw a more curious thing.
• " Curse it !" said Good — for I am sorry to say he had
a habit of using strong language when excited — contract-
ed no doubt, in the course of his nautical career; " curse it,
I've killed him."

"Ou,Bougwan," ejaculated the Kaffirs; "ou! ou!"

They called Good " Bougwan " (glass eye) because of
his eyeglass. ^ ,

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42 KING Solomon's minbs.

" Oh, * Bougwan!' " re-echoed Sir Henry and I; and from
that day Good's reputation as a marvellous shot was estab-
lished, at any rate among the Kaffirs. Really he was a
bad one, but whenever he missed we overlooked it for the
sake of that giraffe.

Having set some of the " boys " to cut off the bCfet of
the giraffe meat, we went to work to build a " scherm "
near one of the pools about a hundred yards to the right
of it. This is done by cutting a quantity of thorn bushes
and laying them in the shape of a circular hedge. Then
the space enclosed is smoothed, and dry tambouki gtass, if
obtainable, is made into a bed in the centre, and a fire or
fires lighted.

By the time the " scherm " was finished the moon was
coming up, and our dinner of giraffe steaks and roasted
marrow-bones was ready. How we enjoyed those marrow-
bones, though it was rather a job to crack them ! I know
no greater luxury than giraffe marrow, unless it is ele-
phant's heart, and we had that on the morrow. We ate
our simple meal, pausing at times to thank Good for his
wonderful shot, by the light of the full moon, and then we
began to smoke and yam, and a curious picture we must
have made squatted there round the fire. I, with my short
grizzled hair sticking up straight, and Sir Henry with his
yellow locks, which were getting rather long, were rather
a contrast, especially as I am thin and short and dark,
weighing only nine stone and a half, and Sir Henry is tall
and broad and fair, and weighs fifteen. But perhaps the
most curious-looking of the three, taking all the circum-
stances of the case into consideration, was Captain John
Good, R.N. There he sat upon a leather bag, looking just
as though he had come in from a comfortable day's shpot-

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48

ing in a civilized country, absolutely clean, tidy, and well-
dressed. He had on a shooting-suit of brown tweed, with
a hat to match, and neat gaiters. He was, as usual, beau-
tifully shaven, his eyeglass and his false teeth appeared
to be in perfect order, and altogether he was the neatest
man I ever had to do with in the wilderness. He even
had on a collar, of which he had a supply, made of white
gutta-percha.

"You see, they weigh so little," he said to me, inno-
cently, when I expressed my astonishment at the fact; " I
always liked to look like a gentleman."

Well, there we all sat yarning away in the beautiful
moonlight, and watching the Kaffirs a few yards off suck-
ing their intoxicating "daccha" in a pipe of which the
mouthpiece was made of the horn of an eland, till they
one by one rolled themselves up in their blankets and went
to sleep by the fire, that is, all except XJmbopa, who sat a
little apart (I noticed he never mixed much with the other
Kaffirs), his chin resting on his hand, apparently thinking
deeply.

Presently, from the depths of the bush behind us came
a loud " woof! woof!" " That's a lion," said I, and we all
started up to listen. Hardly had we done so, when from
the pool, about a hundred yards off, came the strident trum-
peting of an elephant. " Unkungunklovo ! Unkungun-
klovo!" (elephant! elephant!) whispered the Kaffirs; and
a few minutes afterwards we saw a succession of vast
shadowy forms moving slowly from the direction of the
water towards the bush. Up jumped Good, burning for
slaughter, and thinking, perhaps, that it was as easy to kill
elephant as he had found it to shoot giraffe, but I caught
him by the arm and pulled him down. ^ ,

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44 KING Solomon's mines.

" It's no good," I said, " let them go."

" It seems that we are in a paradise of game. I vote we
stop here a day or two, and have a go at them," said Sir
Henry, presently.

I was rather surprised, for hitherto Sir Henry had al-
ways been for pushing on as fast as possible, more espe-
cially since we had ascertained at Inyati that about two
years ago an Englishman of the name of Neville had sold
his wagon there, and gone on up country; but I suppose
his hunter instincts had got the better of him.

Good jumped at the idea, for he was longing to have a
go at those elephants; and so, to speak the truth, did I,
for it went against my conscience to let such a herd as that
escape without having a pull at them.

" All right, my hearties," said I. " I think we want a
little recreation. And now let's turn in, for we ought to
be off by dawn, and then perhaps we may catch them feed-
ing before they move on."

The others agreed, and we proceeded to make prepara-
tions. Good took off his clothes, shook them, put his eye-
glass and his false teeth into his trousers pocket, and, fold-
ing them all up neatly, placed them out of the dew under
a corner of his mackintosh sheet. Sir Henry and I con-
tented ourselves with rougher arrangements, and were soon
curled up in our blankets and dropping off into the dream-
less sleep that rewards the traveller.

Going, going, go — What was that ?

Suddenly from the direction of the water came a sound
of violent scuffling, and next instant there broke upon our
ears a succession of the most awful roars. There was no
mistaking what they came from ; only a lion could make
such a noise as that. We all jumped up and looked tow-

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KIKG SOLOMON'S MINES. 45

ards the water, in the direction of which we saw a confused
mass, yellow and black in color, staggering and struggling
towards us. We seized our rifles, and, slipping on our
veldtschoons (shoes made of untanned hide), ran out of
the scherm towards it. By this time it had fallen, and was
rolling over and over on the ground, and by the time we
reached it it struggled no longer, but was quite still.

And this was what it was. On the grass there lay a
sable antelope bull — the most beautiful of all the African
antelopes — quite dead, and transfixed by its great curved
boms was a magnificent black -maned lion, also dead.
What had happened, evidently, was this. The sable ante-
lope had come down to drink at the pool, where the lion —
no doubt the same we had heard — had been lying in wait.
While the antelope was drinking the lion had sprung upon
him, but was received upon the sharp, curved horns and
transfixed. I once saw the same thing happen before.*
The lion, unable to free himself, had torn and beaten at
the back and neck of the bull, which, maddened with fear
and pain, had rushed on till it dropped dead.

As soon as we had sufficiently examined the dead beasts
we called the Kaffirs, and between us managed to drag
their carcasses up to the scherm. Then we went in and
laid down, to wake no more till dawn.

With the first light we were up and making ready for
the fray. We took with us the three eight-bore rifles, a
good supply of ammunition, and our large water-bottles
filled with weak, cold tea, which I have always found the
best stufiE to shoot on. After swallowing a little breakfast
we started, Umbopa, Khiva, and Ventvogel accompanying
us. The other Kaffirs we left, with instructions to skin the
lion and the sable antelope, and cut up the latter.

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46 KING Solomon's mines.

We had no difficulty in finding the broad elephant trail,
which Ventv5gel, after examination, pronounced to have
been made by between twenty and thirty elephants, most
of them full-grown bulls. But the herd had moved on
some way during the night, and it was nine o'clock, and
already very hot, before, from the broken trees, "bruised
leaves and bark, and smoking dung, we kliew we could not
be far off them.

Presently we caught sight of the herd, numbering, as
Ventvogel had said, between twenty and thirty, standing
in a hollow, having finished their morning meal, and flap-
ping theii; great ears. It was a splendid sight.

They were about two hundred yards from us. Taking
a handful of dry grass I threw it into the air to see how
the wind was ; for if once they winded us I knew they
would be off before we could get a shot. Finding that, if
anything, it blew from the elephants to us, we crept stealth-
ily on, and, thanks to the cover, managed to get within forty
yards or so of the great brutes. Just in front of us and
broadside on stood three splendid bulls, one of them with
enormous tusks. I whispered to the others that I would
take the middle one ; Sir Henry covered the one to the
left, and Good the bull with the big tusks.

" Now," I whispered.

Boom! boom! boom! went the three heavy rifles, and
down went Sir Henry's elephant, dead as a hammer, shot
right through the heart. Mine fell on to its knees, and I
thought he was going to die, but in another moment he
was up and off, tearing along straight past me. As he
went I gave him the second barrel in his ribs, and this
brought him down in good earnest. Hastily slipping in
two fresh cartridges, I ran up close to himi^nd a. ball

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KING Solomon's mines. 41

through the brain put an end to the poor brute's struggles.
Then I turned to see how Good had fared with the big
bull) which I had heard screaming with rage and pain as I
gave mine its quietus. On reaching the captain I found
him in a great state of excitement. It appeared that on re-
ceiving the bullet the bull had turned and come straight
for his assailant, who had barely time to get out of his way,
and then charged blindly on past him, in the direction of
our encampment. Meanwhile the herd had crashed off in
wild alarm in the other direction.

For a while we debated whether to go after the wounded
bull or follow the herd, and finally decided for the latter
alternative, and departed thinking that we had seen the
last of those big tusks. I have often wished since that we
had. It was easy work to follow the elephants, for they
had left a trail like a carriage-road behind them, crushing
down the thick bush in their furious flight as though it
were tambouki grass.

But to come up with them was another matter, and we
had struggled on under a broiling sun for over two hours
before we found them. They were, with the exception of
one bull, standing together, and I could see, from their
unquiet way and the manner in which they kept lifting
their trunks to test the air, that they were on the lookout
for mischief. The solitary bull stood fifty yards or so this
side of the herd, over which he was evidently keeping sen-
try, and about sixty yards from us. Thinking that he
would see or wind us, and that it would probably start
them all off again if we tried to get nearer, especially as
the ground was rather open, we all aimed at this bull and,
at my whispered word, fired. All three shots took effect,
and down he went, dead. Again the herd started on. butj

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48

unfortunately for them, about a hundred yards farther on
was a nullah, or dried water-track, with steep banks, a
place very much resembling the one the Prince Imperial
was killed in in Zululand. Into this the elephants plunged,
and when we reached the edge we found them struggling
in wild confusion to get up the other bank, and filling the
air with their screams, and trumpeting as they pushed one
another aside in their selfish panic, just like so many human
beings. Now was our opportunity, and, firing away as
quick as we could load, we killed five of the poor beasts,
and no doubt should have bagged the whole herd had
they not suddenly given up their attempts to climb the
bank and rushed headlong down the nullah. We were
too tired to follow them, and perhaps also a little sick of
slaughter, eight elephants being a pretty good bag for
one day.

So, after we had rested a little and the Kaffirs had cut
out the hearts of two of the dead elephants for supper, we
started homeward, very well pleased with ourselves, hav-
ing made up our minds to send the bearers on the morrow
to chop out the tusks.

Shortly after we had passed the spot where Good had
wounded the patriarchal bull we came across a herd of
eland, but did not shoot at them, as we had already plenty
of meat. They trotted past us, and then stopped behind
a little patch of bush about a hundred yards away and
wheeled round to look at us. As Good was anxious to
get a near view of them, never having seen an eland close,
he handed his rifle to Urabopa, and, followed by Khiva,
strolled up to the patch of bush. We sat. down and waited
for him, not sorry of the excuse for a little rest.

The sun was just going down in its reddestglory. and

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KING Solomon's mines. 49

Sir Henry and I were admiring the lovely scene, when sud-
denly we heard an elephant scream, and saw its huge and
charging form with uplifted trunk and tail silhouetted
against the great red globe of the sun. Next second we
saw something else, and that was Good and Khiva tearing
back towards us with the wounded bull (for it was he)
charging after them. For a moment we did not dare to
fire — though it would have been little use if we had at that
distance — for fear of hitting one of them, and the next a
dreadful thing happened: Good fell a victim to his passion
for civilized dress. Had he consented to discard his trou-
sers and gaiters as we had, and hunt in a flannel shirt and
a pair of veldtschoons, it would have been all right, but
as it was his trousers cumbered him in that desperate race,
and presently, when he was about sixty yards from us, his
boot, polished by the dry grass, slipped, and down he went
on his face right in front of the elephant.

We gave a gasp, for we knew he must die, and ran as
hard as we could towards him. In three seconds it had
ended, but not as we thought. Khiva, the Zulu boy, had
seen his master fall, and, brave lad that he was, had turned
and flung his assegai straight into the elephant's face. It
stuck in his trunk.

With a scream of pain the brute seized the poor Zulu,
hurled him to the earth, and, placing his huge foot on to
his body about the middle, twined his trunk round his up-
per part and tore him in two.

We rushed up, mad with horror, and fired again and
again, and presently the elephant fell upon the fragments
of the Zulu.

As for Good, he got up and wrung his hands over the
brave man who had given his life to save him; and mvself,

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50 KING «OLOMOn's mines.

thongh an old hand, I felt a lump in my throat. Umbopa
stood and contemplated the huge dead elephant and the
mangled remains of poor Khiva.

" Ah, well," he said, presently, " he is dead, but he died
like a man."

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CHAPTER V.

OUR MARCH INTO THE DESERT.

We had killed nine elephants, and it took us two days
to cut out the tusks and get them home and bury them
carefully in the sand under a large tree, which made a con-
spicuous mark for miles round. It was a wonderfully fine
lot of ivory. I never saw a better, averaging as it did be-
tween forty and fifty pounds a tusk. The tusks of the
great bull that killed poor Khiva scaled one hundred and
seventy pounds the pair, as nearly as we could judge.

As for Khiva himself, we buried what remained of him
in an ant-bear hole, together with an assegai to protect
himself with on his journey to a better world. On the
third day we started on, hoping that we might one day
return to dig up our buried ivory, and in due course, after
a long and wearisome tramp, and many adventures which
I have not space to detail, reached Sitanda's Kraal, near
the Lukanga River, the real starting-point of our expedi-
tion. Very well do I recollect our arrival at that place.
To the right was a scattered native settlement with a few
stone cattle kraals and some cultivated lands down by the
water, where these savages grew their scanty supply of
grain, and beyond it great tracts of waving " veldt " cov-
ered with tall grass, over which herds of the smaller game
were wandering. To the left was the vast desert. This
spot appeared to be the outpost of the fertile country, and
it would be difficult to say to what natural causes such an

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62 KING Solomon's mines.

abrupt change in the character of the soil was due. But
so it was. Just below our encampment flowed a little
stream, on the farther side of which was a stony slope, the
same down which I had twenty years before seen poor
Silvestre creeping back after his attempt to reach Solo-
mon's Mines, and beyond that slope began the waterless
desert covered with a species of karoo shrub. It was even-
ing when we pitched our camp, and the great fiery ball of
the sun was sinking into the desert, sending glorious rays
of many-colored light flying over all the vast expanse.
Leaving Good to superintend the arrangement of our little
camp, I took Sir Henry with me, and we walked to the top
of the slope opposite and gazed out across the desert. The
air was very clear, and far, far away I could distinguish
the faint blue outlines, here and there capped with white,
of the great Suliman Berg.

" There," I said, " there is the wall of Solomon's Mines,
but God knows if we shall ever climb it."

" My brother should be there, and if he is I shall reach
him somehow,'^ said Sir Henry, in that tone of quiet con-
fidence which marked the man.

"I hope so," I answered, and turned to go back to the
camp, when I saw that we were not alone. Behind us,
also gazing earnestly towards the far-off mountains, was
the great Zulu, Umbopa.

The Zulu spoke when he saw that I had observed him,
but addressed himself to Sir Henry, to whom he had at-
tached himself.

" Is it to that land that thou wouldst journey, Incubu ?"
(a native word meaning, I believe, an elephant, and the
name given to Sir Henry by the Kaffirs) he said, pointing
towards the mountains with his broad assegai.

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53

I asked him sharply what he meant by addressing his
master in that familiar way. It is very well for natives
to have a name for one among themselves, but it is not
decent that they should call one by their heathenish ap-
pellations to one's face. The man laughed a quiet little
laugh which angered me.

" How dost thou know that I am not the equal of the
Inkosi I serve ?" he said. " He is of a royal house, no
doubt; one can see it in his size and in his eye; so, may-
hap, am I. At least I am as great a man. Be my mouth,
oh, Macitmazahn, and say my words to the Inkoos Incubu,
my master, for I would speak to him and to thee."

I was angry with the man, for I am not accustomed to
be talked to in that way by Kaffirs, but somehow he im-
pressed me, and besides I was curious to know what he
had to say, so I translated, expressing my opinion at the
same time that he was an impudent fellow, and that his
swagger was outrageous.

"Yes, Umbopa," answered Sir Henry, " I would journey
there."

"The desert is wide and there is no water; the moun-
tains are high and covered with snow, and man cannot
say what is beyond them behind the place where the sun
sets; how shalt thou come thither, Incubu, and wherefore
dost thou go ?"

I translated again.

"Tell him," answered Sir Henry, "that I go because I
believe that a man of my blood, my brother, has gone
there before me, and I go to seek him."

"That is so, Incubu; a man I met on the road told me
that a white man went out into the desert two years ago
towards those mountains with one servaivtj-ji_ haunter.
They never came back."

^antj- a^hunt

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54 KING Solomon's mines.

"How do you know it was my brother?" asked Sir
Henry.

" Nay, I know not. But the man, when I asked what
the white man was like, said that he had your eyes and a
black beard. He said, too, that the name of the hunter
with him was Jim, that he was a Bechuana hunter and
wore clothes."

"There is no doubt about it," said I; "I knew Jim
well."

Sir Henry nodded. "I was sure of it," he said. "If
George set his mind upon a thing he generally did it. It
was always so from his boyhood. If he meant to cross
the Suliman Berg he has crossed it, unless some accident
has overtaken him, and we must look for him on the other
side."

Umbopa understood English, though he rarely spoke it.

" It is a far journey, Incubu," he put in, and I trans-
lated his remark.

" Yes," answered Sir Henry, " it is far. But there is no
journey upon this earth that a man may not make if he
sets his heart to it. There is nothing, Umbopa, that he
cannot do, there are no mountains he may not climb, there
are no deserts he cannot cross, save a mountain and a
desert of which you are spared the knowledge, if love
leads him, and he holds his life in his hand counting it
as nothing, ready to keep it or to lose it as Providence
may order."

I translated.

" Great words, my father," answered the Zulu (I always
called him a Zulu, though he was not really one), "great,
swelling words, fit to fill the mouth of a man. Thou art
riffht, my father Incubu. Listen I what is life ? It is

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KING Solomon's mines. 65

a feather; it is the seed of the grass, blown hither and
thither, sometimes multiplying itself and dying in the act,
sometimes carried away into the heavens. But if the seed
be good and heavy it may perchance travel a little way on
the road it will. It is well to try and journey one's road
and to fight with the air. Man must die. At the worst
he can but die a little sooner. I will go with thee across
the desert and over the mountains, unless perchance I fall
to the ground on the way, my father."

He paused awhile, and then went on with one of those
strange bursts of rhetorical eloquence which Zulus some-
times indulge in, and which, to my mind, full as they are
of vain repetitions, show that the race is by no means de-
void of poetic instinct and of intellectual power.

" What is life ? Tell me, O white men, who are wise,
who know the secrets of the world, and the world of stars,
and the world that lies above and around the stars; who
flash their words from afar without a voice; tell me, white
men, the secret of our life — whither it goes and whence it
comes !

" Ye cannot answer ; ye know not. Listen, I will an-
swer. Out of the dark we came, into the dark we go.
Like a storm-driven bird at night we fly out of the No-
where ; for a moment our wings are seen in the light of
the fire, and, lo ! we are gone again into the Nowhere.
Life is nothing. Life is all. It is the hand with which
we hold off death. It is the glow-worm that shines in
the night-time and is black in the morning; it is the white
breath of the oxen in winter; it is the little shadow that
runs across the grass and loses itself at sunset."

"You are a strange man," said Sir Henry, when he
ceased.

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56 KING SOLOMON'S MINES.

Umbopa laughed. "It seems to me that we are much
alike, Incubu. Perhaps / seek a brother over the moun-
tains."

I looked at him suspiciously. " What dost thou mean ?"
I asked ; " what dost thou know of the mountains ?"

"A little; a very little. There is a strange land there,
a land of witchcraft and beautiful things; a land of brave
people and of trees and streams and white mountains and
of a great white road. I have heard of it. But what is
the good of talking ? it grows dark. Those who live to
see will see.''

Again I looked at him doubtfully. The man knew too
much.

" Ye need not fear me, Macumazahn," he said, interpret-
ing my look. " I dig no holes for ye to fall in. I make
no plots. If ever we cross those mountains behind the
sun, I will tell what I know. But death sits upon them.
Be wise, and turn back. Go and hunt elephant. I have
spoken."

And without another word he lifted his spear in saluta-
tion and returned towards the camp, where shortly after-
wards we found him cleaning a gun like any other Kaffir.

" That is an odd man," said Sir Henry.

" Yes," answered I, " too odd by half. I don't like his
little ways. He knows something, and won't speak out.
But I suppose it is no use quarrelling with him. We are
in for a curious trip, and a mysterious Zulu won't make
much difference one way or another."

Next day we made our arrangements for starting. Of
course it was impossible to drag our heavy elephant rifles
and other kit with us across the desert, so, dismissing our
bearers, we made an arrangement with an old native who

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I KING Solomon's minks. 67

had a kraal close by to take care of them till we returned.
It went trf my heart to leave such things as those sweet
tools to the tender mercies of an old thief, of a savage
whose greedy eyes I could see gloating over them. But
I took some precautions.

First of all I loaded all the rifles, and informed him that
if he touched them they would go off. He instantly tried
the experiment with my eight-bore, and it did go off, and
blew a hole right through one of his oxen, which were
just then being driven up to the kraal, to say nothing of
knocking him head over heels with the recoil. He got
up considerably startled, and not at all pleased at the loss
of the ox, which he had the impudence to ask me to pay
for, and nothing would induce him to touch them again.

"Put the live devils up there in the thatch," he said,
" out of the way, or they will kill us all.*'

Then I told him that if, when we came back, one of
those things was missing I would kill him and all his peo-
ple by witchcraft; and if we died and he tried to steal the
things, I would come and haunt him and turn his cattle
mad and his milk sour till life was a weariness, and make
the devils in the guns come out and talk to him in a way
he would not like, and generally gave him a good idea of
judgment to come. After that he swore he would look
after them as though they were his father's spirit. He
was a very superstitious old Kaffir and a great villain.

Having thus disposed of our superfluous gear we ar-
ranged the kit we five — Sir Henry, Good, myself, Umbo-
pa, and the Hottentot Ventvogel — were to take with us
on our journey. It was small enough, but do what we
would we could not get it down under about forty pounds
a man. This is what it consisted of;

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68 KING Solomon's mines. *

The three express rifles and two hundred rounds of am-
munition.

The two Winchester repeating rifles (for Umbopa and
Ventv5gel), with two hundred rounds of cartridge.

Three " Colt '' revolvers and sixty rounds of cartridge.

Five Cochrane's water-bottles, each holding four pints.

Five blankets.

Twenty-five pounds' weight of biltong (sun-dried game
flesh).

Ten pounds' weight of best mixed beads for gifts.

A selection of medicine, including an ounce of quinine,
and one or two small surgical instruments.

Our knives, a few sundries, such as a compass, matches,
a pocket-filter, tobacco, a trowel, a bottle of brandy, and
the clothes we stood in.

This was our total equipment, a small one, indeed, for
such a venture, but we dared not attempt to carry more.
As it was, that load was a heavy one per man to travel
across the burning desert with, for in such places every
additional ounce tells upon one. But try as we would we
could not see our way to reducing it. There was nothing
but what was absolutely necessary.

With great difficulty, and by the promise of a present
of a good hunting-knife each, I succeeded in persuading
three wretched natives from the village to come with us
for the first stage, twenty miles, and to carry each a large
gourd holding a gallon of water. My object was to en-
able us to refill our water-bottles after the first night's
march, for we determined to start in the cool of the night.
I gave out to these natives that we were going to shoot
ostriches, with which the desert abounded. They jab-
bered and shrugged their shoulders, and S2^ we jwere

KING Solomon's mines. 69

mad and should perish of thirst, which I must say seemed
very probable; but being desirous of obtaining the knives,
which were almost unknown treasures up there, they con-
sented to come, having probably reflected that, after all,
our subsequent extinction would be no affair of theirs.

All next day we rested and slept, and at sunset ate a
hearty meal of fresh beef washed down with tea, the last,
as Good sadly remarked, we were likely to drink for many
a long day. Then, having made our final preparations, we
lay down and waited for the moon to rise. At last, about
nine o'clock, up she came in all her chastened glory, flood-
ing the wild country with silver light, and throwing a
weird sheen on the vast expanse of rolling desert before
us, which looked as solemn and quiet and as alien to man
as the star-studded firmament above. We rose up, and in
a few minutes were ready, and yet we hesitated a little, as
human nature is prone to hesitate on the threshold of an
irrevocable step. We three white men stood there by our-
selves. TJmbopa, assegai in hand and the rifle across his
shoulders, a few paces ahead of us, looked out fixedly
across the desert; the three hired natives, with the gourds
of water, and Ventvogel were gathered in a little knot
behind.

" Gentlemen," said Sir Henry, presently, in his low, deep
voice, " we are going on about as strange a journey as men
can make in this world. It is very doubtful if we can
succeed in it. But we are three men who will stand to-
gether for good or for evil to the last. And now before
we start let us for a moment pray to the Power who
shapes the destinies of men, and who ages since has
marked out our paths, that it may please him to direct
our steps in accordance with his will."

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60 KING SOLOMOK's MINES.

Taking off his hat he, for the space of a minute or so,
covered his face with his hands, and Good and I did like-
wise.

I do not say that I am a first-rate praying-man; few
hunters are; and as for Sir Henry, I never heard him speak
like that before, and only once since, though deep down
in his heart I believe he is very religious. Good, too, is
pious, though very apt to swear. Anyhow I do not think
I ever, excepting on one single occasion, put in a better
prayer in my life than I did during that minute, and some-
how I felt the happier for it. Our future was so com-
pletely unknown, and I think the unknown and the awful
always bring a man nearer to his Maker.

" And now," said Sir Henry, " trek."

So we started.

We had nothing to guide ourselves by except the dis-
tant mountains and old Jos6 da Silvestra's chart, which,
considering that it was drawn by a dying and half dis-
traught man on a fragment of linen three centuries ago,
was not a very satisfactory sort of thing to work on. Still,
such as it was, our sole hope of success depended on it. If
we failed in finding that pool of bad water which the old
don marked as being situated in the middle of the desert,
about sixty miles from our starting-point and as far from
the mountains, we must in all probability perish miserably
of thirst. And to my mind the chances of our finding it
in that great sea of sand and karoo scrub seemed almost
infinitesimal. Even supposing Da Silvestra had marked it
right, what was there to prevent its having been genera-
tions ago dried up by the sun, or trampled in by game, or
filled with drifting sand ?

On we tramped silently as shades through the night and

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. 61

in the heavy sand. The karoo bushes caught our shins and
retarded us, and the sand got into our veldtschoons and
Good's shooting-boots, so that every few miles we had to
stop and empty them; but still the night was fairly cool,
though the atmosphere was thick and heavy, giving a sort
of creamy feel to the air, and we made fair progress. It
was very still and lonely there in the desert, oppressively
so indeed. Good felt this, and once began to whistle the
" Girl I left behind me," but the notes sounded lugubrious
in that vast place, and he gave it up. Shortly afterwards
a little incident occurred which, though it made us jump
at the time, gave rise to a laugh. Good, as the holder of
the compass, which, being a sailor, of course he thoroughly
understood, was leading, and we were toiling along in
single file behind him, when suddenly we heard the sound
of an exclamation, and he vanished. Next second there
arose all round us a most extraordinary hubbub, snorts,
groans, wild sounds of rushing feet. In the faint light, too,
we could descry dim, galloping forms half hidden by
wreaths of sand. The natives threw down their loads and
prepared to bolt, but, remembering that there was nowhere
to bolt to, cast themselves upon the ground and howled out
that it was the devil. As for Sir Henry and myself, we
stood amazed; nor was our amazement lessened when we
perceived the form of Good careering off in the direction
of the mountains, apparently mounted on the back of a
horse and halloing like mad. In another second he threw
up his arms, and we heard him come to the earth with a
thud. Then I saw what had happened : we had stumbled
right on to a herd of sleeping quagga, on to the back of
one of which Good had actually fallen, and the brute had
naturally enough got up and made off with him. Singing

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62 KING Solomon's mines.

out to the others that it was all right, I ran towards Good,
much afraid lest he should he hurt, hut to my great relief
found him sitting in the sand, his eye-glass still fixed firm-
ly in his eye, rather shaken and very much startled, but
not in any way injured.

After this we travelled on without any further misad-
venture till after one o'clock, when we called a halt, and
having drunk a little water, not much, for water was pre-
cious, and rested for half an hour, started on again.

On, on we went, till at last the east began to blush like
the cheek of a girl. Then there came faint rays of prim-
rose light that changed presently to golden bars, through
which the dawn glided out across the desert. The stars
grew pale and paler still till at last they vanished; the
golden moon waxed wan, and her mountain ridges stood
out clear against her sickly face like the bones on the
face of a dying man; then came spear upon spear of glori-
ous light flashing far away across the boundless wilder-
ness, piercing and firing the veils of mist till the desert
was draped in a tremulous golden glow, and it was day.

Still we did not halt, though by this time we should
have been glad enough to do so, for we knew that when
once the sun was fully up it would be almost impossible
for us to travel in it. At length, about six o'clock, we
spied a little pile of rocks rising out of the plain, and to
this we dragged ourselves. As luck would have it, here
we found an overhanging slab of rock carpeted beneath
with smooth sand, which afforded a most grateful shelter
from the heat. Underneath this we crept, and having
drank some water each and eaten a bit of biltong, we lay
down and were soon sound asleep.

It was thi^e o'clock in the afternoon before we woke, to

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63

find our three bearers preparing to return. They had al-
ready had enough of the desert, and no number of knives
would have tempted them to come a step farther. So we
had a hearty drink, and, having emptied our water-bottles,
filled them up again from the gourds they had brought
with them, and then watched them depart on their twenty
miles' tramp home.

At half -past four we also started on. It was lonely and
desolate work, for, with the exception of a few ostriches,
there was not a single living creature to be seen on all the
vast expanse of sandy plain. It was evidently too dry for
game, and, with the exception of a deadly -looking cobra
or two, we saw no reptiles. One insect, however, was
abundant, and that was the common or house fly. There
they came, " not as single spies, but in battalions," as I
think the Old Testament says somewhere. He is an ex-
traordinary animal, is the house fly. Go where you will
you find him, and so it must always have been. I have seen
him enclosed in amber which must, I was told, have been
half a million years old, looking exactly like his descend-
ant of to-day, and I have little doubt that when the last
man lies dying on the earth he will be buzzing round —
if that event should happen to occur in summer — watcji-
ing for an opportunity to settle on his nose.

At sunset we halted, waiting for the moon to rise. At
ten she came up beautiful and serene as ever, and, with
one halt about two o'clock in the morning, we trudged
wearily on through the night, till at last the welcome sun
put a period to our labors. We drank a little and flung
ourselves down, thoroughly tired out, on the sand, and
were soon all asleep. There was no need to set a watch,
for we had nothing to fear from anybody or^nything in

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64 Kixo Solomon's mines.

that vast^ untenanted plain. Our only enemies were heat,
thirst, and flies, but far rather would I have faced any
danger from man or beast than that awful trinity. This
time we were not so lucky as to find a sheltering rock to
guard us from the glare of the sun, with the result that
about seven o'clock we woke up experiencing the exact
sensations one would attribute to a beefsteak on agridiron.
We were literally being baked through and through. The
burning sun seemed to be sucking our very blood out of
us. We sat up and gasped.

" Phew !" said I, grabbing at the halo of flies which
buzzed cheerfully round my head. The heat did not af-
fect them.

" My word," said Sir Henry.

" It is hot !" said Good.

It was hot, indeed, and there was not a bit of shelter to
be had. Look where we would there was no rock or tree;
nothing but an unending glare, rendered dazzling by the
hot air which danced over the surface of the desert as it
does over a red-hot stove.

" What is to be done ?" asked Sir Henry ; " we can't
stand this for long."

We looked at each other blankly.

"I have it," said Good; "we must dig a hole and get
into it, and cover ourselves with the karoo bushes."

It did not seem a very promising suggestion, but at least
it was better than nothing, so we set to work, and, with
the trowel we had brought with us and our hands, suc-
ceeded in about an hour in delving out a patch of ground
about ten feet long by twelve wide to the depth of two
feet. Then we cut a quantity of low scrub with our hunt-
ing-knives, and, creeping into the hole, pulled it over us all.

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65

with the exception of Ventvdgel, on whom, being a Hot-
tentot, the sun had no particular effect. This gave us
some slight shelter from the burning rays of the sun, but
the heat in that amateur grave can be better imagined
than described. The Black Hole of Calcutta must have
been a fool to it ; indeed, to this moment, I do not know
how we lived through the day. There we lay panting,
and every now and again moistening our lips from our
scanty supply of water. Had we followed our inclinations
we should have finished off all we had in the first two hours,
but we had to exercise the most rigid care, for if our wa-
ter failed us we knew that we must quickly perish miser-
ably.

But everything has an end, if only you live long enough
to see it, and somehow that miserable day wore on towards
evening. Abolit three o'clock in the afternoon we deter-
mined that we could stand it no longer. It would be bet-
ter to die walking than to be slowly killed by heat and
thirst in that dreadful hole. So, taking each of us a little
drink from our fast diminishing supply of water now
heated to about the same temperature as a man's blood,
we staggered on.

We had now covered some fifty miles of desert. If my
reader will refer to the rough copy and translation of old
Da Silvestra's map he will see that the desert is marked
as being forty leagues across, and the "pan bad water"
is set down as being about in the middle of it. Now, forty
leagues is one hundred and twenty miles; consequently, we
ought at the most to be within twelve or fifteen miles of
the water, if any should really exist.

Through the afternoon we crept slowly and painfully
along, scarcely doing more than a mile and a half an hour.

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66

At sanset we again rested, waiting for the moon, and, af-
ter drinking a little, managed to get some sleep.

Before we lay down Umbopa pointed out to as a slight
and indistinct hillock on the flat surface of the desert about
eight miles away. At the distance it looked like an ant-
hill, and as I was dropping off to sleep I fell to wondering
what it Qould be.

With the moon we started on again, feeling dreadfully
exhausted, and suffering tortures from thirst and prickly
heat. Nobody who has not felt it can know what we
went through. We no longer walked, we staggered, now
and again falling from exhaustion, and being obliged to
call a halt every hour or so. We had scarcely energy left
in us to speak. Up to now Good had chatted and joked,
for he was a merry fellow ; but now he had not a joke left
in him.

At last, about two o'clock, utterly worn out in body and
mind, we came to the foot of this queer hill, or sand kop-
pie, which did at first sight resemble a gigantic ant-heap
about a hundred feet high, and covering at the base nearly
a morgen (two acres) of ground.

Here we halted, and, driven by our desperate thirst,
sucked down our last drops of water. We had but half a
pint a head, and we could each have drank a gallon.

Then we lay down. Just as I was dropping off to sleep
X heard Umbopa remark to himself in Zulu,

" K we cannot find water we shall all be dead before the
moon rises to-morrow."

I shuddered, hot as it was. The near prospect of such
an awful death is not pleasant, but even the thought of it
could not keep me from sleeping.

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CHAPTER VL
. water! watbrI

In two hours' time, about four o'clock, I woke up. As
soon as the first heavy demand of bodily fatigue had been
satisfied the torturing thirst from which I was suffering
asserted itself. I could sleep no more. I had been dream-
ing that I was bathing in a running stream with green
banks, and trees upon them, and I awoke to find myself in
that arid wilderness, and to remember that, as Umbopa
had said, if we did not find water that day we must cer-
tainly perish miserably. No human creature could live
long without water in that heat. I sat up and rubbed my
grimy face with my dry and homy hands. My lips and
eyelids were stuck together, and it was only after some
rubbing and with an effort that I was able to open them.
It was not far off the dawn, but there was none of the
bright feel of dawn in the air, which was thick with a hot
murkiness I cannot describe. The others were still sleep-
ing. Presently it began to grow light enough to read, so
I drew out a little pocket copy of the " Ingoldsby Legends "
I had brought with me, and read the " Jackdaw of Rheims."
When I got to where

** A nice little boy held a golden ewer,
Embossed, and fiUed with water as pure
As any that flows between Rheims and Natnur/'

I literally smacked my cracked lips, or, rather, tried to
smack them. The«mere thought of that pure water niade

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68 KING Solomon's mines.

me mad. If the cardinal had been there with his bell,
book, and candle, I would have whipped in and drank his
water up, yes, even if he had already filled it with the suds
of soap worthy of washing the hands of the pope, and I
knew that the whole concentrated curse of the Catholic
Church should fall upon me for so doing. I almost think
I must have been a little light-headed with thirst and
weariness and want of food ; for I fell to thinking how as-
tonished the cardinal and his nice little boy and the jack-
daw would have looked to see a burned-up, brown-eyed,
grizzled-haired little elephant-hunter suddenly bound in
and put his dirty face into the basin and swallow every*
drop of the precious water. The idea amused me so that
I laughed or rather cackled aloud, which woke the others
up, and they began to rub their dirty faces and get their
gummed-up lips and eyelids apart.

As soon as we were all well awake we fell to discussing
the situation, which was serious enough. Not a drop of
water was left. We turned the water-bottles upside down
and licked the tops, but it was a failure ; they were as dry
as a bone. Good, who had charge of the bottle of brandy,
got it out and looked at it longingly ; but Sir Henry
promptly took it away from him, for to drink raw spirit
would only have been to precipitate the end.

" If we do not find water we shall die," he said.

" If we can trust to the old don's map there should be
some about," I said; but nobody seemed to derive much
satisfaction from that remark, it was so evident that no
great faith could be put in the map. It was now gradual-
ly growing light, and as we sat blankly ctaring at each
other I observed the Hottentot Ventvogel rise and begin
to walk about with his eyes on the ground. Presently he

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. 69

Stopped short and^ uttering a guttural exdamation, pointed
to the earth.

" What is it ?" we exclaimed, and simultaneously rose
and went to where he was standing pointing at the ground.

" Well," I said, " it is pretty fresh Springbok spoor ;
what of it ?"

"Sprinbucks do not go far from water," he answered in
Dutch.

"No," I answered, "I forgot ; and thank God for it."

This little discovery put new life into us ; it is wonder-
ful how, when one is in a desperate position, one catches
at the slightest hope, and feels almost happy in it. On a
dark night a single star is better than nothing.

Meanwhile VentvSgel was lifting his snub nose, and
sniffing the hot air for all the world like an old Impala
ram who scents danger. Presently he spoke again.

*' I amen water," he said.

Then we felt quite jubilant, for we knew what a wonder*
ful instinct these wild-bred men possess.

Just at that moment the sun came up gloriously and re-
vealed so grand a sight to our astonished eyes that for a
moment or two we forgot even our thirst.

For there, not more than forty or fifty miles from us,
glittering like silver in the early rays of the morning sun,
were Sheba's breasts ; and stretching away for hundreds
of miles on each side of them was the great Suliman Berg.
Now that I, sitting here, attempt to describe the extraor-
dinary grandeur and beauty of that sight, language seems
. to fail me. I am impotent even before its memory. There,
straight before us, were two enormous mountains, the like
of which are not, I believe, to be seen in Africa, if, indeed,
there are any other such in the world, measuring each at

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70 KING SOLOMON'S' MINKS.

least fifteen thousand feet in height, standing not more
than a dozen miles apart, connected by a precipitous cliff
of rock, and towering up in awful white solemnity straight
into the sky. These mountains standing thus, like tie pillars-
of a gigantic gateway, are shaped exactly like a woman's
breasts. Their bases swelled gently up from the plain,
looking, at that distance, perfectly round and smooth ; and
on the top of each was a vast round hillock covered with
snow, exactly corresponding to the nipple on the female
breast. The stretch of cliff which connected them ap-
peared to be some thousand feet in height, and perfectly
precipitous, and on each side of them, as far as the eye
could reach, extended similar lines of cliff, broken only
here and there by flat, table-topped mountains, something
like the world-famed one at Cape Town ; a formation, by
the way, very common in Africa.

To describe the grandeur of the whole view is beyond
my powers. There was something so inexpressibly solemn
and overpowering about those huge volcanoes — for doubt-
less they are extinct volcanoes — that it fairly took our
breath away. For a while the morning lights played upon
the snow and the brown and swelling masses beneath, and
then, as though to veil the majestic sight from our curious
eyes, strange mists and clouds gathered and increased
around them, till presently we could only trace their pure
and gigantic outline swelling ghostlike through the fleecy
envelope. Indeed, as we afterwards discovered, they were
normally wrapped in this curious gauzy mist, which doubt-
less accounted for one not having made them out more
clearly before.

Scarcely had the mountains vanished into cloud-clad
privacy before our thirst — literally a burning quei|tiqn —
reasserted itself. , ^ ^

KING SOLOMON'S MINBS. 71

It was all very well for Ventvogel to say he smelled
water, but look which way we would we could see no signs
of it. So far as the eye could reach there was nothing but
arid, sweltering sand and karoo scrub. We walked round
the hillock and gazed about anxiously on the other side,
but it was the same story, not a drop of water was to be
seen ; there was no indication of a pan, a pool, or a
spring.

" You are a fool," I said, angrily, to Ventvogel ; " there
is no water."

But still he lifted his ugly snub nose and sniffed.

"I smell it, Baas" (master), he answered ; "it is some-
where in the air."

" Yes," I said, " no doubt it is in the clouds, and about
two months hence it will fall and wash our bones."

Sir Henry stroked his yellow beard thoughtfully. " Per-
haps it is on the top of the hill," he suggested.

" Rot," said Good ; " who ever heard of water being
found on the top of a hill ?"

" Let us go and look," I put in, and hopelessly enough
we scrambled up the sandy sides of the hillock, Umbopa
leading. Presently he stopped as though he were petrified.

"Nanzia manzie !" (here is water), he cried, with a loud
voice.

We rushed up to him, and there, sure enough, in a deep
cup or indentation on the very top of the sand-koppie, was
an undoubted pool of water. How it came to be in such
a strange place we did not stop to inquire, nor did we
hesitate at its black and uninviting appearance. It was
water, or a good imitation of it, and that was enough for
us. We gave a bound and a rush, and in another second
were all down on our stomachs sucking up the uninviting

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12 KING Solomon's mines.

fluid as though it were nectar fit for the gods. Heavens,
how we did drink ! Then, when we had done drinking,
we tore off our clothes and sat down in it, absorbing the
moisture through our parched skins. You, my reader,
who have only to turn on a couple of taps and summon
" hot " and " cold " from an unseen, vasty boiler, can have
little idea of the luxury of that muddy wallow in brack-
ish, tepid water.

After a while we arose from it, refreshed indeed, and fell
to our our biltong, of which we had scarcely been able to
touch a mouthful for twenty-four hours, and ate our fill.
Then we smoked a pipe, and lay down by the side of that
blessed pool under the overhanging shadow of the bank
and slept till mid-day.

All that day we rested there by the water, thanking our
stars that we had been lucky enough to find it, bad as it
was, and not forgetting to render a due share of gratitude
to the shade of the long-departed Da Silvestra, who had
corked it down so accurately on the tail of his shirt. The
wonderful thing to us was that it should have lasted so
long, and the only way that I can account for it is by the
supposition that it is fed by some spring deep down in the
sand.

Having filled both ourselves and our water-bottles as
full as possible, in far better spirits we started off again
with the moon. That night we covered nearly five-and-
twenty miles, but, needless to say, found no more water,
though we were lucky enough on the following day to get
a little shade behind some ant-heaps. When the sun rose
and, for a while, cleared away the mysterious mists, Suli-
man's Berg and the two majestic breasts, now only about
twenty miles off, seemed to be towering right above us,

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msG Solomon's mines. ^3

and looked grander than ever. At the approach of even-
ing we started on again, and, to cut a long story short, by
daylight next morning found ourselves upon the lowest
slopes of Sheba's left breast, for which we had been stead-
ily steering. By this time our water was again exhausted
and we were suffering severely from thirst, nor indeed
could we see any chance of relieving it till we reached the
snow line, far, far above us. After resting an hour or two,
driven to it by our torturing thirst, we went on again,
toiling painfully in the burning heat up the lava slopes,
for we found that the huge base of the mountain was
composed entirely of lava-beds belched out in some far-
past age.

By eleven o'clock we were utterly exhausted, and were,
generally speaking, in a very bad way indeed. The lava
clinker, over which we had to make our way, though com-
paratively smooth compared with some clinker I have
heard of, such as that on the island of Ascension, for in-
stance, was yet rough enough to make our feet very sore,
and this, together with our other miseries, had pretty well
finished us. A few hundred yards above us were some
large lumps of lava, and towards these we made with the
intention of lying down beneath their shade. We reached
them, and to our surprise, so far as we had a capacity for
surprise left in us, on a little plateau or ridge close by we
saw that the lava was covered with a dense green growth.
Evidently soil formed from decomposed lava had rested
there, and in due course had become the receptacle of seeds
deposited by birds. But we did not take much further in-
terest in the green growth, for one cannot live on grass,
like Nebuchadnezzar. That requires a special dispensa-
tion of Providence and peculiar digestive organs. jSo we

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74 KING Solomon's mines.

sat down under the rocks and groaned, and I, for one, heart-
ily wished that we had never started on this fool's errand.
As we were sitting there I saw XJmbopa get up and hobble
off towards the patch of green, and a few minutes after-
wards, to my great astonishment, I perceived that usually
uncommonly dignified individual dancing and shouting
like a maniac, and waving something green. Off we all
scrambled towards him as fast as our wearied limbs would
carry us, hoping that he had found water.

"What is it, Umbopa, son of a fool?" I shouted in
Zulu.

" It is food and water, Macumazahn," and again he waved
the green thing.

Then I saw what he had got. It was a melon. We had
hit upon a patch of wild melons, thousands of them, and
dead ripe. •

"Melons !" I yelled to Good, who was next me; and in
another second he had his false teeth fixed in one.

I think we ate about six each before we had done, and,
poor fruit as they were, I doubt if I ever thought anything
nicer.

But melons are not very satisfying, and when we had
satisfied our thirst with their pulpy substance, and set a
stock to cool by the simple process of cutting them in two
and setting them end on in the hot sun to get cold by
evaporation, we began to feel exceedingly hungry. We had
still some biltong left, but our stomachs turned from bil-
tong, and, besides, we had to be very sparing of it, for we
could not say when we should get more food. Just at
this moment a lucky thing happened. Looking towards
the desert I saw a flock of about ten large birds flying
straight towards us.

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. ^6

" Skit, Baas, skit !" (shoot, master, shoot), whispered the
Hottentot, throwing himself on his face, an example which
we all followed.

Then I saw that the birds were a flock of pauw (bas-
tards), and that they would pass within fifty yards of my
head. Taking one of the repeating Winchesters, I waited
till they were nearly over us, and then jumped on to my
feet On seeing me the pauw bunched up together, as I
expected they would, and I fired two shots straight into
the thick of them, and, as luck would have it, brought one
down, a fine fellow, that weighed about twenty pounds.
In half an hour we had a fire made of dry melon-stalks,
and he was toasting over it, and we had such a feed as we
had not had for a week. We ate that pauw — nothing
was left of him but his bones and his beak — and felt not a
little the better afterwards.

That night we again went on with the moon, carrying
as many melons as we could with us. As we got higher
up we found the air get cooler and cooler, which was a
great relief to us, and at dawn, so far as we could judge,
were not more than about a dozen miles from the snow-
line. Here we found more melons, so had no longer any
anxiety about water, for we knew that we should soon get
plenty of snow. But the ascent had now become very
precipitous, and we made but slow progress, not more than
a mile an hour. Also that night we ate our last morsel of
biltong. As yet, with the exception of the pauw, we had
seen no living thing on the mountain, nor had we come
across a single spring or stream of water, which struck us
as very odd, considering all the snow above us, which
must, we thought, melt sometimes. But as we afterwards
discovered, owing to some cause, which it is qpte beyond

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16 KING Solomon's mines.

my power to explain, all the streams flowed down upon
the north side of the mountains.

We now began to grow very anxious about food. We
had escaped death by thirst, but it seemed probable that
it was only to die of hunger. The events of the next three
miserable days are best described by copying the entries
made at the time in my note-book.

21st May. — Started 11 a.m., finding the atmosphere
quite cold enough to travel by day, carrying some water-
melons with us. Struggled on all day, but saw no more
melons, having, evidently, passed out of their district. Saw
no game of any sort. Halted for the night at sundown,
having had no food for many hours. Suflcered much dur-
ing the night from cold.

22d. — Started at sunrise again, feeling very faint and
weak. Only made five miles all day; found some patches
of snow, of which we ate, but nothing else. Camped at
night under the edge of a great plateau. Cold bitter.
Drank a little brandy each, and huddled ourselves together,
each wrapped up in our blanket to keep ourselves alive.
Are now suffering frightfully from starvation and weari-
ness. Thought that Ventvogel would have died during
the night.

23d. — Struggled forward once more as soon as the sun
was well up, and had thawed our limbs a little. We are
now in a dreadful plight, and I fear that unless we get
food this will be our last day's journey. But little brandy
left. Good, Sir Henry, and Umbopa bear up wonderfully,
but Ventvogel is in a very bad way. Like most Hotten-
tots, he cannot stand cold. Pangs of hunger not so bad,
but have a sort of numb feeling about the stomach. Oth-
ers say the same. We are now on a level with the pre-

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KING SOLOMON^ MINM8. 77

dpitoos chain, or wall of lava, connecting the two breasts,
and the view is glorioas. Behind us the great glowing
desert rolls away to the horizon, and before us lies mile
apon mile of smooth, hard snow almost level, but swelling
gently npward, out of the centre of which the nipple of
the moimtain, which appears to be some miles in circum-
ference, rises about four thousand feet into the sky. Not
a living thing is to be seen/ God help us, I fear our time
has come.

And now I will drop the journal, partly because it is
not very interesting reading, and partly because what fol-
lows requires perhaps rather more accurate telling.

All that day (the 23d May) we struggled slowly on up
the incline of snow, lying down from time to time to rest.
A strange, gaunt crew we must have looked, as, laden as
we were, we dragged our weary feet over the dazzling
plain, glaring round us with hungry eyes. Not that there
was much use in glaring, for there was nothing to eat.
We did not do more than seven miles that day. Just before
sunset we found ourselves right under the nipple of Sheba's
left breast, which towered up thousands of feet into the
air above us, a vast, smooth hillock of frozen snow. Bad
as we felt, we could not but appreciate the wonderful scene,
made even more wonderful by the flying rays of light from
the setting sim, which here and there stained the snow
blood red, and crowned the towering mass above us with
a diadem of glory.

" I say," gasped Good, presently, " we ought to be some*
where near the cave the old gentleman wrote about."

"Yes," said I, "if there is a cave."

" Come, Quatermain," groaned Sir Henry, " don't talk
like that ; I have every faith in the don ; rei^iember the
water. We shall find the place soon."^'^' '^^^ by Google

IS KING Solomon's mines.

" If we don't find it before dark we are dead men, that
is all aboat it," was my consolatory reply.

For the next ten minutes we trudged on in silence,
when suddenly Umbopa, who was marching along beside
me, wrapped up in his blanket and with a leather belt
strapped so tight round his stomach, to " make his hunger
small," as he said, that his waist looked like a girl's, caught
me by the arm.

" Look !" he said, pointing towards the springing slope
of the nipple.

I followed his glance, and perceived, some two hundred
yards from us, what appeared to be a hole in the snow.

" It is the cave," said Umbopa.

We made the best of our way to the spot, and found,
sure enough, that the hole was the mouth of a cave, no
doubt the same as that of which Da Silvestra wrote. We
were none too soon, for just as we reached shelter the
sun went down with startling rapidity, leaving the whole
place nearly dark. In these latitudes there is but little
twilight. We crept into the cave, which did not appear
to be very big, and, huddling ourselves together for
warmth, swallowed what remained of our brandy — ^barely
a mouthful each^-and tried to forget our miseries in sleep.
But this the cold was too intense to allow us to do. I am
convinced that at that great altitude the thermometer
cannot have been less than fourteen or fifteen degrees be-
low freezing-point. What this meant to us, enervated as
we were by hardship, want of food, and the great heat of
the desert, my reader can imagine better than I can de-
scribe. Suffice it to say that it was something as near
death from exposure as I have ever felt. There we sat
hour after hour through the bitter night, feeling the frost

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KING SOLOMON'S MIKES. 19

wander round and nip us now in the finger, now in the
foot, and now in the face. In vain did we huddle up closer
and closer; there was no warmth in our miserable, starved
carcasses. Sometimes one of us would drop into an un-
easy slumber for a few minutes, but we could not sleep
long, and perhaps it was fortunate, for I doubt if We should
ever have woke again. I believe it was only by force of
will that we kept ourselves alive at all.

Not very long before dawn I heard the Hottentot Vent-
vdgel, whose teeth had been chattering all night like cas-
tanets, give a deep sigh, and then his teeth stopped chat-
tering. I did not think anything of it at the time, con-
cluding that he had gone to sleep. His back was resting
against mine, and it seemed to grow colder and colder, till
at last it was like ice.

At length the air began to grow gray with light, then
swift golden arrows came flashing across the snow, and at
last the glorious sun peeped up above the lava wall and
looked in upon our half -frozen forms and upon Ventvogel,
sitting there among us stone dead. No wonder his back
had felt cold, poor fellow. He had died when I heard
him sigh, and was now almost frozen stiff. Shocked be-
yond measure, we dragged ourselves from the corpse
(strange the horror we all have of the companionship of a
dead body), and left it still sitting there, with its arms
clasped round its knees.

By this time the sunlight was pouring its cold rays (for
here they were cold) straight in at the mouth of the cave.
Suddenly I heard an exclamation of fear from some one,
and turned my head down the cave.

And this was what I saw. Sitting at the end of it, for
it was not more than twenty feet long, was another form^

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80 ]^N6 SOLOMON^S MIKEg.

of which the head rested on the chest and the long aund
hung down. I stared at it, and saw that it too was a
dead mariy and what was more, a white man.

The others saw it, too, and the sight proved too much
for our shattered nerves. One and all we scrambled out
of the cave as fast as our half -frozen limbs would allow.

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CHAPTER Vn.

Solomon's boad.

Outside the cave we halted, feeling rather foolish.

" I am going back," said Sir Henry.

"Why Tasked Good.

" Because it has struck me that — what we saw — ^may be
my brother."

This was a new idea, and we re-entered the cave to put
it to the proof. After the bright light outside our eyes,
weak as they were with staring at the snow, could not for
a while pierce the gloom of the cave. Presently, however,
we grew accustomed to the semi-darkness, and advanced
on to the dead form.

Sir Henry knelt down and peered into its face.

" Thank God," he said, with a sigh of relief, " it is not
my brother."

Then I went and looked. The corpse was that of a tall
man in middle life, with aquiline features, grizzled hair,
and a long black mustache. The skin was perfectly yel-
low, and stretched tightly over the bones. Its clothing,
with the exception of what seemed to be the remains of a
pair of woollen hose, had been removed, leaving the skele-
ton-like frame naked. Round the neck hung a yellow
ivory crucifix. The corpse was frozen perfectly stiff.

" Who on earth can it be ?" said I.

" Can't you guess ?" asked Good.

I shook my head.

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82 KING Solomon's mines.

"Why, the old don, Jo86 da Silvestra, of course — who
else?"

" Impossible," I gasped, " he died three hundred years
ago."

"And what is there to prevent his lasting for three
thousand years in this atmosphere I should like to know ?"
asked Good. " If only the air is cold enough flesh and
blood will keep as fresh as New Zealand mutton forever,
and Heaven knows it is cold enough here. The sun never
gets in here ; no animal comes here to tear or destroy.
No doubt his slave,, of whom he speaks on the map, took
off his clothes and left him. He could not have buried
him alone. Look here," he went on, stooping down and
picking up a queer-shaped bone scraped at the end into a
sharp point, " here is the ' cleft-bone ' that he used to draw
the map with."

We gazed astonished for a moment, forgetting our own
miseries in the extraordinary and, as it seemed to us,
semi-miraculous sight.

"Ay," said Sir Henry, "and here is where he got his
ink from," and he pointed to a small wound on the dead
man's left arm. "Did ever man see such a thing be-
fore?"

There was no longer any doubt about the matter, which
I confess, for my own part, perfectly appalled me. There he
sat, the dead man, whose directions, written some ten gen-
erations ago, had led us to this spot. There in my own
hand was the rude pen with which he had written them,
and there round his neck was the crucifix his dying lips
had kissed. Gazing at him my imagination could recon-
struct the whole scene : the traveller dying of cold and
starvation, and yet striving to convey the great secret he

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. 83

had discovered to the world; the awful loneliness of his
death, of which the evidence sat before us. It even
seemed to me that I could trace in his strongly-marked
features a likeness to those of my poor friend Silvestre, his
descendant, who had died twenty years ago in my arms,
but perhaps that was fancy. At any rate, there he sat, a
sad memento of the fate that so often overtakes those who
would penetrate into the unknown; and there probably he
will still sit, crowned with the dread majesty of death, for
centuries yet unborn, to startle the eyes of wanderers like
ourselves, if any such should ever come again to invade
his loneliness. The thing overpowered us, already nearly
done to death as we were with cold and hunger.

" Let us go," said Sir Henry, in a low voice ; " i^tay, we
will give him a companion," and, lifting up the dead body
of the Hottentot Ventvogel, he placed it near that of the
old don. Then he stooped down and with a jerk broke
the rotten string of the crucifix round his neck, for his
fingers were too cold to attempt to unfasten it. I believe
that he still has it. I took the pen, and it is before me
as I write — sometimes I sign my name with it.

Then, leaving those two, the proud white man of a past
age and the poor Hottentot, to keep their eternal vigil in
the midst of the eternal snows, we crept out of the cave
into the welcome sunshine and resumed our path, wonder-
ing in our hearts how many hours it would be before we
were even as they are.

When we had gone about half a mile we came to the
edge of the plateau, for the nipple of the mountain did
not rise out of its exact centre, though from the desert
side it seemed to do so. What lay below us we could
not see, for the landscape was wreathed in^billows of

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84 KING Solomon's mines.

morning mist. Presently, however, the higher layers of
mist cleared a little, and revealed, some five hundred yards
beneath us, at the end of a long slope of snow, a patch of
green grass, through which a stream was running. Nor
was this all. By the stream, basking in the morning sun,
stood and lay a group of from ten to fifteen large antelopes
— at that distance we could not see what they were.

The sight filled us with an unreasoning joy. There
was food in plenty if only we could get it. But the ques-
tion was how to get it. The beasts were fully six hundred
yards off, a very long shot, and one not to be depended on
when one's life hung on the results.

Rapidly we discussed the advisability of trying to stalk
the game, but finally reluctantly dismissed it. To begin
with, the wind was not favorable, and further, we should
be certain to be perceived, however careful we were,
against the blinding background of snow which we should
be obliged to traverse.

" Well, we must have a try from where we are," said
Sir Henry. " Which shall it be, Quatermain, the repeat-
ing rifles or the expresses ?"

Here again was a question. The Winchester repeaters
— of which we had two, Umbopa carrying poor Ventvd-
gel's as well as his own — were sighted up to a thousand
yards, whereas the expresses were only sighted to three
hundred and fifty, beyond which distance shooting with
them was more or less guess-work. On the other hand,
if they did hit, the express bullets, being expanding, were
much more likely to bring the game down. * It was a
knotty point, but I made up my mind that we must risk
it and use the expresses.

"Let each of us take the buck opposite to him. ^im

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KING SOLOMON S MmES. 85

well at the point of the shoulder, and high up," said I ;
" and Umbopa, do you give the word, so that we may all
fire together."

Then came a pause, each man aiming his level best, as
indeed one is likely to do when one knows that life itself
depends upon the shot.

" Fire !" said Umbopa, in Zulu, and at almost the same
instant the three rifles rang out loudly ; three clouds of
smoke hung for a moment before us, and a hundred
echoes went flying away over the silent snow. Presently
the smoke cleared, and revealed — oh, joy ! — a great buck
Ipng on its back and kicking furiously in its death agony.
We gave a yell of triumph ; we were saved, we should
not starve. Weak as we were, we rushed down the inter-
vening slope of snow, and in ten minutes from the time of
firing the animal's heart and liver were lying smoking be-
fore us. But now a new difficulty arose ; we had no fuel,
and therefore could make no fire to cook them at. We
gazed at each other in dismay.

"Starving men must not be fanciful," said Good ; "we
must eat raw meat."

There was no other way out of the dilemma, and our
gnawing hunger made the proposition less distasteful
than it would otherwise have been. So we took the heart
and liver and buried them for a few minutes in a patch
of snow to cool them off. Then we washed them in the
ice-cold water of the stream, and lastly ate them greedily.
It sounds horrible enough, but, honestly, I never tasted
anything so good as that raw meat. In a quarter of an
hour we were changed men. Our life and our vigor came
back to us, our feeble pulses grew strong again, and the
blood went coursing through our veins. But^mindf ul of

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86 KING Solomon's mines.

the results of over-feeding on starving stomachs, we were
careful not to eat too much, stopping while we were still
hungry.

"Thank God !" said Sir Henry ; "that brute has saved
our lives. What is it, Quatermain ?"

I rose and went to look at the antelope, for I was not
certain. It was about the size of a donkey, with large,
curved horns. I had never seen one like it before, the
species was new to me. It was brown, with faint red
stripes and a thick coat. I afterwards discovered that
the natives of that wonderful country called the species
" Inco." It was very rare, and only found at a great alti-
tude, where no other game would live. The animal was
fairly shot high up in the shoulder, though whose bullet
it was that brought it down we could not, of course, dis-
cover. I believe that Good, mindful of his marvellous
shot at the giraffe, secretly set it down to his own prowess,
and we did not contradict him.

We had been "so busy satisfying our starving stomachs
that we had hitherto not found time to look about us.
But now, having set Umbopa to cut off as much of the
best meat as we were likely to be able to carry, we began
to inspect our surroundings. The mist had now cleared
away, for it was eight o'clock, and the sun had sucked it
up, so we were able to take in all the country before us at
a glance. I know not how to describe the glorious pano-
rama which unfolded itself to our enraptured gaze. I
have never seen anything like it before, nor shall, I sup-
pose, again.

Behind and over us towered Sheba's snowy breasts, and
below, some five thousand feet beneath where, we stood,
lay league on league of the most lovely champaign coun-

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. • 87

try. Here were dense patches of lofty forest, there a
great river wound its silvery way. To the left stretched
a vast expanse of rich, undulating veldt or grass land, on
which we could just make out countless herds of game or
cattle, at that distance we could not tell which. This ex-
panse appeared to be ringed in by a wall of distant moun-
tains. To the right the country was more or less moun-
tainous, that is, solitary hills stood up from its level, with
stretches of cultivated lands between, among which we
could distinctly see groups of dome -shaped huts. The
landscape lay before us like a map, in which rivers flashed
like silver snakes, and Alplike peaks crowned with wildly-
twisted snow-wreaths rose in solemn grandeur, while over
all was the glad sunlight and the wide breath of Nature's
happy life.

Two curious things struck us as we gazed. First, that
the country before us must lie at least five thousand feet
higher than the desert we had crossed, and, secondly, that
all the rivers flowed from south to north. As we had pain-
ful reason to know, there was no water at all on the south-
em side of the vast range on which we stood, but on the
northern side were many streams, most of which appeared
to unite with the great river we could trace winding away
farther than we could follow it.

We sat down for a while and gazed in silence at this
wonderful view. Presently Sir Henry spoke.

"Isn't there something on the map about Solomon's
Great Road ?" he said.

I nodded, ray eyes still looking out over the far country.

"Well, look ; there it is I" and he pointed a little to our
right.

Gk)od and I looked accordingly, and there, wmding away

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88

towards the plain, was what appeared to be a wide turn-
pike road. We had not seen it at first because it, on reach-
ing the plain, turned behind some broken country. We
did not say anything, at least not much ; we were begin-
ning to lose the sense of wonder. Somehow it did not
seem particularly unnatural that we should find a sort of
Roman road in this strange land. We accepted the fact,
that was all.

" Well," said Good, " it must be quite near us if we cut
off to the right. Hadn't we better be making a start?"

This was sound advice, and so soon as we had washed
our faces and hands in the stream we acted on it. For
a mile or so we made our way over boulders and across
patches of snow, till suddenly, on reaching the top of the
little rise, there lay the road at our feet. It was a splendid
road cut out of the solid rock, at least fifty feet wide, and
apparently well kept ; but the odd thing about it was that
it seemed to begin there. We walked down and stood on
it, but on^ single hundred paces behind us, in the direction
of Sheba's breasts, it vanished, the whole surface of the
mountain being strewed with boulders interspersed with
patches of snow.

" What do you make of that, Quatermain ?" asked Sir
Henry.

I shook my head, I could make nothing of it.

" I have it !" said Good ; " the road no doubt ran right
over the range and across the desert the other side, but
the sand of the desert has covered it up, and above us it
has been obliterated by some volcanic eruption of molten
lava."

This seemed a good suggestion ; at any rate, we accepted
it, and proceeded down the mountain. It was a very dif-

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KING Solomon's mines. 89

ferent basiness trayelling along down hill on that magnif-
icent pathway with full stomachs, to what it had been
trayelling up hill over the snow quite starved and almost
frozen. Indeed, had it not been for melancholy recollec-
tions of poor Ventvogel's sad fate, and of that grim cave
where he kept company with the old don, we should have
been positively cheerful, notwithstanding the sense of un-
known dangers before us. Every mile we walked the at-
mosphere grew softer and balmier, and the country before
us shone with a yet more luminous beauty. As for the
road itself, I never saw such an engineering work, though
Sir Henry said that the great road over the St. Gothard in
Switzerland was very like it. No difficulty had been too
great for the Old World engineer who designed it. At
one place we came to a great ravine three hundred feet
broad and at least a hundred deep. This vast gulf was
actually filled in, apparently with huge blocks of dressed
stone, with arches pierced at the bottom for a water-way,
over which the road went sublimely on. At another place
it was cut in zigzags out of the side of a precipice five
hundred feet deep, and in a third it tunnelled right through
the base of an intervening ridge a space of thirty yards or
more.

Here we noticed that the sides of the tunnel were cov-
ered with quaint sculptures, mostly of mailed figures driv-
ing in chariots. One, which was exceedingly beautiful,
represented a whole battle-scene with a convoy of captives
being marched off in the distance.

"Well," said Sir Henry, after inspecting this ancient
work of art, " it is very well to call this Solomon's Road,
but my humble opinion is that the Egyptians have been
her^ before Solomon's people ever set a foot on it. If that

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90 KING Solomon's mines.

isn't Egyptian handiwork, all I have to say is it is very
like it."

By midday we had advanced sufficiently far down the
mountain to reach the region where wood was to be met
with. First we came to scattered bushes which grew more
and more frequent, till at last we found the road winding
through a vast grove of silver-trees similar to those which
are to be seen on the slopes of Table Mountain at Cape
Town. I had never before met with them in all my wan-
derings, except at the Cape, and their appearance here as-
tonished me greatly.

" Ah !" said Good, surveying these shining-leaved trees
with evident enthusiasm, " here is lots of wood, let us stop
and cook some dinner ; I have about digested that raw
meat."

Nobody objected to this, so, leaving the road, we made
our way to a stream which was babbling away not far off,
and soon had a goodly fire of dry boughs blazing. Cutting
off some substantial hunks from the flesh of the inco which
we had brought with us, we proceeded to toast them on
the ends of sharp sticks, as one sees the Kaffirs do, and ate
them with relish. After filling ourselves, we lit our pipes
and gave ourselves up to enjoyment, which, compared to
the hardships we had recently undergone, seemed almost
heavenly.

The brook, of which the banks were clothed with dense
masses of a gigantic species of maidenhair fern interspersed
with feathery tufts of wild asparagus, babbled away mer-
rily at our side, the soft air murmured through the leaves
of the silver-trees, doves cooed around, and bright-winged
birds flashed like living gems from bough to bough. It
was like Paradise.

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KiKG Solomon's mines. 91

The magic of the place, combined with the overwhelm-
ing sense of dangers left behind and of the promised land
reached at last, seemed to charm us into silence. Sir Henry
and Umbopa sat conversing in a mixture of broken Eng-
lish and Kitchen Zulu in a low voice, but earnestly enough,
and I lay, with my eyes half shut, upon that fragrant bed
of fern and watched them. Presently I missed Good, and
looked to see what had become of him. As I did so I ob-
served him sitting by the bank of the stream, in which he
had been bathing. He had nothing on but his flannel
shirt, and, his natural habits of extreme neatness having
reasserted themselves, was actively employed in making a
most elaborate toilet. He had washed his gutta-percha
collar, thoroughly shaken out his trousers, coat, and waist-
coat, and was now folding them up neatly till he was
ready to put them on, shaking his head sadly as he did so
over the numerous rents and tears in them which had nat-
urally resulted from our frightful journey. Then he took
his boots, scrubbed them with a handful of fern, and finally
rubbed them over with a piece of fat which he had care-
fully saved from the inco meat, till they looked, compara-
tively speaking, respectable. Having inspected them ju-
diciously through his eyeglass, he put them on and began
a fresh operation. From a little bag he carried he pro-
duced a pocket-comb in which was fixed a tiny looking-
glass, and in this surveyed himself. Apparently he was
not satisfied, for he proceeded to do his hair with great
care. Then came a pause while he again contemplated
the effect ; still it was not satisfactory. He felt his chin,
on which was now the accumulated scrub of a ten days'
beard. ** Surely," thought I, " he is not going to try and
shave." But so it was. Taking the piece (^^ft^AT^^^^

92 KING SOLOMOK*S MINES.

which he had greased his hoots, he washed it carefully in
the stream. Then diving again into the bag, he brought
out a little pocket razor with a guard to it, such as are
sold to people afraid of cutting themselves, or to those
about to undertake a sea voyage. Then he vigorously
scrubbed his face and chin with the fat and began. But
it was evidently a painful process, for he groaned very
much 6ver it, and I was convulsed with inward laughter
as I watched him struggling with that stubbly beard. It
seemed so very odd that a man should take the trouble to
shave himself with a piece of fat in such a place and under
such circumstances. At last he succeeded in getting the
worst of the scrub off the right side of his face and chin,
when suddenly I, who was watching, became aware of a
flash of light that passed just by his head.

Good sprang up with a profane exclamation (if it had
not been a safety razor he would certainly have cut his
throat), and so did I, without the exclamation, and this
was what I saw. Standing there, not more than twenty
paces from where I was, and ten from Good, was a group
of men. They were very tall and copper -colored, and
some of them wore great plumes of black feathers and
short cloaks of leopard skins ; this Was all I noticed at the
moment. In front o£ them stood a youth of about seven-
teen, his hand still raised and his body bent forward in
the attitude of a Grecian statue of a spear-thrower. Evi-
dently the flash of light had been a weapon, and he had
thrown it.

As I looked an old, soldier-like looking man stepped
forward out of the group, and catching the youth by the
arm said something to him. Then they advanced upon us.

Sir Henry, Good, and Umbopa had by this ti^ne seized

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93

their rifles and lifted them threateningly. The party of
natives still came on. It struck me that they could not
know what rifles were, or they would not have treated
them with such contempt.

"Put down your guns !" I halloed to the others, seeing
that our only chance of safety lay in conciliation. They
obeyed, and, walking to the front, I addressed the elderly
man who had checked the youth.

" Greeting," I said, in Zulu, not knowing what language
to use. To my surprise I was understood.

" Greeting," answered the man, not, indeed, in the same
tongue, but in a dialect so closely allied to it that neither
Umbopa nor myself had any difficulty in understanding it.
Indeed, as we afterwards found out, the language spoken by
this people was an old-fashioned form of the Zulu tongue,
bearing about the same relationship to it that the English
of Chaucer does to the English of the nineteenth century.

" Whence come ye ?" he went on, " what are ye ? and
why are the faces of three of ye white, and the face of the
fourth as the face of our mother's sons ?" and he pointed
to Umbopa. I looked at Umbopa as he said it, and it
flashed across me that he was right. Umbopa was like
the faces of the men before me ; so was his great form.
But I had not time to reflect on this coincidence.

" We are strangers, and come in peace," I answered,
speaking very slow, so that he might understand me, '* and
this man is our servant."

"Ye lie," he answered, "no strangers can cross the
mountains where all things die. But what do your lies
matter ; if ye are strangers then ye must die, for no
strangers may live in the land of the Kukuanas. It is
the king's law. Prepare then to die, O strangers I'' j^

n94 king Solomon's mixes.

I was slightly staggered at this, more especially as I saw
the hands of some of the party of men steal down to their
sides, where hang on each what looked to me like a large
and heavy knife.

" What does that beggar say ?" asked Good.

" He says we are going to be scragged," I answered,
grimly.

"Oh, Lord," groaned Good; and, as was his way when
perplexed, put his hand to his false teeth, dragging the top
set down and allowing them to fly back to his jaw with a
snap. It was a most fortunate moye> for next second the
dignified crowd of Kukuanas gave a simultaneous yell of
horror, and bolted back some yards.

"What's up?" said I.

" It's his teeth," whispered Sir Henry, excitedly. "He
moved them. Take them out, Good, take them out !"

He obeyed, slipping the set into the sleeve of his flannel
shirt.

In another second curiosity had overcome fear, and the
men advanced slowly. Apparently they had now forgot-
ten their amiable intentions of doing for us.

" How is it, O strangers," asked the old man, solemnly,
"that the teeth of the man" (pointing to Good, who had
nothing on but a flannel shirt, and had only half finished
his shaving) " whose body is clothed, and whose legs are
bare, who grows hair on one side of his sickly face and not
on the other, and who has one shining and transparent eye,
move of themselves, coming away from the jaws and re-
turning of their own will ?"

" Open your mouth," I said to Good, who promptly
curled up his lips and grinned at the old gentleman like an
angry dog, revealing to their astonished gaze twa thin jred

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Kiifa Solomon's mines. 95

lines of gum as utterly iDDOceDt of ivories as a new*born
elepliant. Hs audience gasped.

"Where are his teeth?" they shouted; " with our eyes
we saw them.**

Turning his head slowly and with a gesture of ineffable
contempt, Good swept his hand across his mouth. Then
he grinned again, and lo ! there were two rows of lovely
teeth.

The young man who had flung the knife threw himself
down on the grass and gave vent to a prolonged howl of
terror; and as for the old gentleman, his knees knocked to-
gether with fear.

"I see that ye are spirits," he said, falteringly; "did
ever man bom of woman have hair on one side of his face
and not on the other, or a round and transparent eye, or
teeth which moved and melted away and grew again?
Pardon us, O my lords."

Here was luck indeed, and, needless to say, I jumped at
the chance.

"It is granted," I said, with an imperial smile. " Nky,
ye shall know the truth. We come from another world,
though we are men such as ye ; we come," I went on,
" from the biggest star that shines at night."

" Oh I oh !" groaned the chorus of astouished aborigines.

" Yes," I went on, " we do, indeed;" and I again smiled
benignly as I uttered that amazing lie. "We come to
stay with you a little while, and bless you by our sojourn.
Ye will see, O friends, that I have prepared myself by
learning your language."

" It is so, it is so," said the chorus.

"Only, my lord," put in the old gentleman, "thou hast
learned it very badly." ^^^^^^ ,,GoogIe

W KING Solomon's mines.

I cast an indignant glanee at him and he quailed.

^* Now, friends," I continued, " ye might think that af tCT
BO long a journey we should find it in our hearts to avenge
such a reception, mayhap to strike cold in death the im-
pious hand that — that, in short — threw a knife at the head
of him whose teeth come and go."

" Spare him, my lords," said the old man, in supplica-
tion ^ "he is the king's son, and I am his uncle. If any-
thing befalls him his blood will be required at my hands."

"Yes, that is certainly so," put in the young man with
great emphasis.

" You may perhaps doubt our power to avenge," I went
on, heedless of this by-play. "Stay, I will show you.
Here, you dog and slave " (addressing XJmbopa in a savage
tone), " give me the magic tube that speaks;" and I tipped
a wink towards my express rifle.

XJmbopa rose to the occasion, and with something as
nearly resembling a grin as I have ever seen on his digni-
fied face, handed me the rifle.

"It is here, O lord -of lords," he said, with a deep
obeisance.

Now, just before I asked for the rifle I had perceived a
little klipspringer antelope standing on a mass of rock
about seventy yards away, and determined to risk a shot
at it.

" Ye see that buck," I said, pointing the animal out to
the party before me. " Tell me, is it possible for man,
born of woman, to kill it from here with a noise ?"

" It is not possible, my lord," answered the old man.

" Yet shall I kill it," I said, quietly.

The old man smiled. " That my lord cannot do," he
said.

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KING Solomon's mines. 97

1 raised the rifle, and covered the back. It was a small
animal, and one which one migh> well be excused for miss-
ing, but I knew that it would not do to miss.

I drew a deep breath, and slowly pressed on the trigger.
The buck stood still as stone.

" Bang ! thud !" The buck sprang into the air and fell
on the rock dead as a door- nail.

A groan of terror burst from the group before us.

" If ye want meat," I remarked, coolly, " go fetch that
buck."

The old man made a sign and one of his followers de-
parted, and presently returned bearing the klipspringer.
I noticed, with satisfaction, that I had hit it fairly behind
the shoulder. They gathered round the poor creature's
body, gazing at the bullet-hole in consternation.

"Ye see," I said, "I do not speak empty words."

There was no answer.

" If ye yet doubt our power," I went on, " let one of
ye go stand upon that rock, that I may make him as this
buck."

None of them seemed at all inclined to take the hint,
till at last the kiug^s son spoke.

" It is well said. Do thou, my uncle, go stand upon the
rock. It is but a buck that the magic has killed. Surely
it cannot kill a man."

The old gentleman did not take the suggestion in good
part. Indeed, he seemed hurt.

"No I no !" he ejaculated, hastily; "my old eyes have
seen enough. These are wizards, indeed. Let us bring
them to the king. Yet if any should wish a further proof,
let him stand upon the rock, that the magic tube may speak
with him."

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98 KINO Solomon's mines.

There was a most general and hasty expression of dis-
sent.

" Let not good magic be wasted on our poor bodies,"
said one, " we are satisfied. All the witchcraft of our
people cannot show the like of this."

"It is so," remarked the old gentleman, in a tone of
intense relief; "without any doubt it is so. Listen, chil-
dren of the stars, children of the shining eye and the mov-
able teeth, who roar out in thunder and slay from afar.
I am Infadoos, son of Kafa, once king of the Kukuana
people. This youth is Scragga."

"He nearly scragged me," murmured Ooodr

"Scragga, son of Twala, the great king — ^Twala, hus-
band of a thousand wives, chief and lord paramount of
the Kukuanas, keeper of the great road, terror of his ene-
mies, student of the Black Arts, leader of an hundred thou-
sand warriors; Twala the One-eyed, the Black, the Terri-
ble."

" So," said I, superciliously, " lead us then to Twala.
We do not talk with low people and underlings."

"It is well, my lords, we will lead you, but the way is
long. We are hunting three days* journey from the place
of the king. But let my lords have patience, and we will
lead them."

" It is well," I said, carelessly, " all time is before us,
for we do not die. We are ready; lead on. But Infadoos,
and thou, Scragga, beware ! Play us no tricks, make for
us no snares, for before your brains of mud have thought
of them we shall know them and avenge them. The light
from the transparent eye of him with the bare legs and
the half -haired face (Good) shall destroy you, and go
through your land; his vanishing teeth shalLjfix them-

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. 99

selves fast in you and eat you up, you and your wives and
children; the magic tubes shall talk with you loudly, and
make you as sieves. Beware !"

This magnificent address did not fail of its effect; in-
deed, it was hardly needed, so deeply were our friends al-
ready impressed with our powers.

The old man made a deep obeisance, and murmured the
word " Koom, Koom," which I afterwards discovered was
their royal salute, corresponding to the Bay6te of the
Zulus, and, turning, addressed his followers. These at
once proceeded to lay hold of all our goods and chattels,
in order to bear them for us, excepting only the guns,
which they would on no aceount touch. They even seized
Good's clothes, which were, as the reader may remember,
neatly folded up beside him.

He at once made a dive for them, and a loud alterca-
tion ensued.

" Let not my lord of the transparent eye and the melt-
ing teeth touch them," said the old man. "Surely his
slaves shall carry the things,"

"But I want to put 'em on!" roared Good, in nervous
English.

XJmbopa translated.

" Nay, my lord," put in Inf adoos, " would my lord cover
up his beautiful white legs (although he was so dark Good
had a singularly white skin) from the eyes of his ser-
vants? Have we offended my lord that he should do
such a thing ?"

Here I nearly exploded with laughing; and meanwhile,
one of the men started on with the garments.

" Damn it !" roared Good, " that black villain has got
my trousers."

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100 KING Solomon's minsb.

" Look here, Good," said Sir Henry, " you have appeared
in this country in a certain character, and you must live
up to it. It will never do for you to put on trousers
again. Henceforth you must live in a flannel shirt, a pair
of boots, and an eye-glass."

" Yes," I said, " and with whiskers on one side of your
face and not on the other. If you change any of these
things they will think that we are impostors. I am very
sorry for you, but, seriously, you must do it. If once they
begin to suspect us, our lives will not be worth a brass
farthing."

" Do you really think so ?" said Good, gloomily.

" I do, indeed. Your * beautiful white legs ' and your
eye-glass are now the feature of our party, and, as Sir
Henry says, you must live up to them. Be thankful that
you have got your boots on, and that the air is warm."

Good sighed, and said no more, but it took him a fort-
night to get accustomed to his attire.

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y

CHAPTER Vm.

WB ENTEB KUKITANALAin).

All that afternoon we travelled on along the magnifi-^
cent roadway, which headed steadily in a northwesterly
direction. Inf adoos and Scragga walked with us, but their
followers marched about one hundred paces ahead.

" Inf adoos," I said at length, " who made this road ?"

" It was made, my lord, of old time, none knew how or
when, not even the wise woman, Gagool, who has lived for
generations. We are not old enough to remember its
making. None can make such roads now, but the king
lets no grass grow upon it."

" And whose are the writings on the walls of the caves
through which we have passed on the road ?" I asked, re-
ferring to the Egyptian-like sculptures we had seen.

" My lord, the hands that made the road wrote the won-
derful writings. We know not who wrote them.'*

" When did the Kukuana race come into this country ?"

" My lord, the race came down here like the breath of
a storm ten thousand thousand moons ago, from the great
lands which lie there beyond," and he pointed to the north.
" They could travel no farther, so say the old voices of
our fathers that have come down to us, the children, and
so says Gagool, the wise woman, the smeller-out of witches,
because of the great mountains which ring in the land,"
and he pointed to the snow-clad peaks. "The country,
too, was good, so they settled here and grew strong and

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102 KING Solomon's mines.

powerful, and now our numbers are like the sea sand, and
when Twala the king calls up his regiments their plumes
cover the plain as far as the eye of man can reach."

"And if the land is walled in with mountains, who is
there for the regiments to fight with ?"

" Nay, my lord, the country is open there," and again
he pointed towards the north, " and now and again war-
riors sweep down upon us in clouds from a land we know
not, and we slay them. It is the third part of the life of
a man since there was a war. Many thousands died in it,
but we destroyed those who came to eat us up. So, since
then there has been no war."

" Your warriors must grow weary of resting on their
spears."

"My lord, there was one war, just after we destroyed
the people that came down upon us, but it was a civil war
— dog eat dog."

"How was that?"

" My lord, the king, my half-brother, had a brother bom
at the same birth and of the satne woman. It is not our
custom, my lord, to let twins live ; the weakest must al-
ways die. But the mother of the king hid away the weak-
est child, which was bom the last, for her heart yearned
over it, and the child is Twala the king. I am his younger
brother bom of another wife."

"Well?"

" My lord, Kaf a, our father, died when we came to man-
hood, and my brother Imotn was made king in his place,
and for a space reigned and had a son by his favorite wife.
When the babe was three years old, just after the great
war, during which no man could sow or reap, a famine
eame upon the land, and the people murmured because of

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KING Solomon's mines. 103

the famine, aod looked round like a starved lion for some-
thing to rend. Then it was that Gagool, the wise and ter-
rible woman, who does not die, proclaimed to the people,
saying, *The king Imotu \^ no king.' And at the time
Imotu was sick \^ith a wound, and lay in his hut not able
to move. **

" Then Gagool went into a hut and led out Twala, my
half-brother, and the twin brother of the king, whom she
bad hidden since he was bom among the caves and rocks,
and, stripping the * moocha' (waist-cloth) off his loins,
showed the people of the Kukuanas the mark of the sacred
snake coiled round his waist, wherewith the eldest son of
the king is marked at birth, and cried out loud, ^ Behold,
your king, whom I have saved for you even to this day !'
And the people, being mad with hunger and altogether be-
reft of reason and the knowledge of truth, cried out, * The
king I The king P but I knew that it was not so, for Imo-
tu, my brother, was the elder of the twins, and was the
lawful king. And just as the tumult was at its height
Imotu the king, though he was very sick, came crawling
from his hut holding his wife by the hand, and followed
by his little son Ignosi^(the lightning).

" * What is this noise ?' he asked ; * Why cry ye The
kingt The king P

" Then Twala, his own brother, bom of the same woman
and in the same hour, ran to him, and, taking him by the
hair, stabbed him through the heart with hia knife. And
tlie people, being ftckle, and ever ready to worship the
rising sun, clapped their hands and cried, ' Twala is king!
Now we know that Twala is king !' "

"And what became of his wife and her son Ignosi?
Did Twala kill them too ?"

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104 KING Solomon's mines.

" Nay, my lord. When she saw that her lord was dead
she seized the child with a cry, and ran away. Two days
afterwards she came to a kraal very hungry, and none
would give her milk or food, now that her lord the king
was dead, for all men hate the unfortunate. But at night-
fall a little child, a girl, crept out and brought her to eat,
and she blessed the child, and went on towards the moun-
tains with her boy before the sun rose again, where she
must have perished, for none have seen her since, nor the
child Ignosi."

"Then if this child Ignosi had lived, he would be the
true king of the Kukuana people ?"

" That is so, my lord ; the sacred snake is round his
middle. If he lives he is the king ; but alas ! he is long
dead."

" See, my lord," and he pointed to a vast collection of
huts surrounded with a fence, which was in its turn sur-
rounded by a great ditch, that lay on the plain beneath us.
" That is the kraal where the wife of Imotu was last seen
with the child Ignosi. It is there that we shall sleep to-
night, if, indeed," he added, doubtfully, " my lords sleep at
all upon this earth."

" When we are among the Kukuanas, my good friend
Infadoos, we do as the Kukuanas do," I said, majestically,
and I turned round suddenly to address Good, who was
tramping along sullenly behind, his mind fully occupied
with unsatisfactory attempts to keep his flannel shirt from
flapping up in the evening breeze, and to my astonishment
butted into Umbopa, who was walking along immediately
behind me, and had very evidently been listening with the
greatest interest to my conversation with Infadoos. The
expression on his face was most curious, and gave the

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KING Solomon's mines. 105

idea of a man who was struggling with partial success
to bring something long ago forgotten back into his
mind.

All this while we had been pressing on at a good rate
down towards the undulating plain beneath. The moun-
tains we had crossed now loomed high above us, and
Sheba's breasts were modestly veiled in diaphanous
wreaths of mist. As we went on the country grew more
and more lovely. The vegetation was luxuriant without
being tropical ; the sun was bright and warm, but not
burning, and a gracious breeze blew softly along the odor-
ous slopes of the mountains. And, indeed, this new land
was little less than an earthly paradise ; in beauty, in nat-
ural wealth, and in climate I have never seen its like.
The Transvaal is a fine country, but it is nothing to Ku-
kuanaland.

So soon as we started, Infadoos had despatched a runner
on to warn the people of the kraal, which, by the way, was
in his military command, of our arrival. This man had
departed at an extraordinary speed, which Infadoos had in-
formed me he would keep up all the way, as running was
an exercise much practised among his people.

The result of this message now became apparent. When
we got within two miles of the kraal we could see that
company after company of men was issuing from its gates
and marching towards us.

Sir Henry laid his hand upon my arm, and remarked that
it looked as though we were going to meet with a warm
reception. Something in his tone attracted Infadoos's at-
tention.

" Let not my lords be afraid," he said, hastily, " for in
my breast there dwells no guile. This regiment is one

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106 KmO SOLOMON^S MTNTES.

under my command, and comes out by my orders to greet:
you.'*

I nodded easily, though I was not quite easy in my mind.

About half a mile from the gates of the kraal was a long
stretch of rising ground sloping gently upward from the
road, and on this the companies formed. It was a splen-
did sight to see them, each company about three hundred
strong, charging swiftly up the slope, with flashing spears
and waving plumes, and taking their appointed place. By
the time we came to the slope twelve such companies, or
in all three thousand six hundred men, had passed out and
taken up their positions along the road.

Presently we came to the first company, and were able
to gaze in astonishment on the most magnificent set of
men I have ever seen. They were all men of mature age,
mostly veterans of about forty, and not one of them was
under six feet in height, while many were six feet three
or four. They wore upon their heads heavy black plumes
of Sacaboola feathers, like those which adorned our guides.
Bound their waists and also beneath the right knee were
bound circlets of white ox-tails, and in their left hands
were round shields about twenty inches across. These
shields were very curious. The framework consisted of
an iron plate beaten out thin, over which was stretched
milk-white ox-hide. The weapons that each man bore
were simple, but most effective, consisting of a short and
very heavy two-edged spear with a wooden shaft, the
blade being about six inches across at the widest part.
These spears were not used for throwing, but, like the
Zulu "bangwan," or stabbing assegai, were for close
quarters only, when the wound inflicted by them was
terrible. In addition to these bangwane each man also

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KING Solomon's mines. 107

carried three large and heavy knives, each knife weighing
about two pounds. One knife was fixed in the oiL-tail
girdle, and the other two at the back of the round shield.
These knives, which are called " tollas ** by the Kukuanas,
take the place of the throwing assegai of the Zulus. A
Kukuana warrior can throw them with great accuracy at
a distance of fifty yards, and it is their custom on charg-
ing to hurl a volley of them at the enemy as they come to
close quarters.

Each company stood like a collection of bronze statues
till we were opposite to it, when, at a signal given by its
commanding officer, who, distinguished by a leopard-skin
cloak, stood some paces in front, every spear was raised
into the air, and from three hundred throats sprang forth
with a sudden roar the royal salute of ** Koom P^ Then,
when we had passed, the company formed behind us
and followed us towards the kraal, till at last the whole
regiment of the "Grays" (so called from their white
shields), the crack corps of the Kukuana people, was
marching behind us with a tread that, shook the ground.

At length, branching off from Solomon's Great Boad,
we came to the wide fosse surrounding the kraal, which
was at least a mile round and fenced with a strong pali-
sade of piles formed of the trunks of trees. At the gate-
way this fosse was spanned by a primitive drawbridge
which was let down by the guard to allow us to pass in.
The kraal was exceedingly well laid out. Through the
centre ran a wide pathway intersected at right angles by
other pathways so arranged as to cut the huts into square
blocks, each block being the quarters of a company. The
huts were dome-shaped, and built, like those of the Zulus,
of a framework of wattle beautifully thatched j$rith srass ;

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108

but, unlike the Zulu huts, they had doorways through
which one could walk. Also they were much larger, and
surrounded with a veranda about six feet wide, beautiful-
ly paved with powdered lime trodden hard. All along
each side of the wide pathway that pierced the kraal were
ranged hundreds of women, brought out by curiosity to
look at us. These women are, for a native race, exceed-
ingly handsome. They are tall and graceful, and their
figures are wonderfully fine. The hair, though short, is
rather curly than woolly, the features are frequently
aquiline, and the lips are not unpleasantly thick, as is the
case in most African races. But what struck us most
was their exceeding quiet,^ dignified air. They were as
well-bred in their way as the hdbituia of a fashionable
drawing-room, and in this respect differ from Zulu women,
and their cousins, the Masai, who inhabit the district be-
hind Zanzibar, Their curiosity had brought them out to
see us, but they allowed no rude expression of wonder or
savage criticism to pass their lips as we trudged wearily
in front of them. Not even when old Infadoos with a
surreptitious motion of the hand pointed out the crowning
wonder of poor Good's "beautiful white legs," did they
allow the feeling of intense admiration which evidently
mastered their minds to find expression. They fixed their
dark eyes upon their snowy loveliness (Good's skin is ex-
ceedingly white), and that was all. But this was quite
enough for Good, who is modest by nature.

When we got to the centre of the kraal Infadoos halted
at the door of a large hut, which was surrounded at -a dis-
tance by a circle of smaller ones.

"Enter, sons of the stars," he said, in a magniloquent
voice, "and deign to rest awhile in our humble habita-'

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KiNa Solomon's mines. 109

tions. A little food shall be brought to you, so that ye
shall have no need to draw your belts tight from hunger ;
some honey and some milk, and an ox or two, and a few
sheep ; not much, my lords, but still a little food."

"It is good," said I, "Infadoos, we are weary with
travelling through realms of air ; now let us rest."

Accordingly we entered into the hut, which we found
amply prepared for our comfort. Couches of tanned skins
were spread for us to rest on, and water was placed for us
to wash in.

Presently we heard a shouting outside, and, stepping to
the door, saw a line of damsels bearing milk and roasted
mealies and honey in a pot. Behind these were some
youths driving a fat young ox. We received the gifts,
and then one of the young men took the knife from his
girdle and dexterously cut the ox's throat. In ten minutes
it was dead, skinned, and cut up. The best of the meat
was then cut off for us, and the rest I, in the name of our
party, presented to the warriors round us, who took it off
and distributed the " white men's gift."

Umbopa set to work, with the assistance of an extreme-
ly prepossessing young woman, to boil our portion in a
large earthenware pot over a fire which was built outside
the hut, and when it was nearly ready we sent a message
to Infadoos, and asked him, and Scragga the king's son, to
join us.

Presently they came, and, sitting down upon little stools,
of which there were several about the hut (for the Kuku-
anas do not in general squat upon their haunches like the
Zulus), helped us to get through our diniier. The old
gentleman was most affable and polite, but it struck us
that the young one regarded us with suspicion. He had.

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110 KING Solomon's minbs.

together with the rest of the party, been overawed by our
white appearance and by our magic properties ; but it
flftemed to me that on discovering that we ate, drank, and
slept like other mortals, his awe was beginning to wear off
and be replaced by a sullen suspicion, which made us feel
rather uncomfortable.

In the course of our meal Sir Henry suggested to me
that it might be well to try and discover if our hosts knew
anything of his brother's fate, or if they had ever seen or
heard of him ; but, on the whole, I thought that it would
be wiser to say nothing of the matter at that time.

After supper we filled our pipes and lit them; a pro-
ceeding which filled Infadoos and Scragga with astonish-
ment. The Kukuanas were evidently unacquainted with
the divine uses of tobacco-smoke. The herb was grown
among them extensively ; but, like the Zulus, they only
used it for snuff, and quite failed to identify it in its new
form.

Presently I asked Infadoos when we were to proceed
on our journey, and was delighted to learn that prepara-
tions had been made for us to leave on the following
morning, messengers having already left to inform Twala,
the king, of our coming. It appeared that Twala was at
his principal place, known as Loo, making ready for the
great annual feast which was held in the first week of
June. At this gathering all the regiments, with the ex-
ception of certain detachments left behind for garrison
purposes, were brought up and paraded before the king,
and the great annual witch-hunt, of which more by and
by, was held.

We were to start at dawn ; and Infadoos, who was to
accon]|>any us, expected that we should, unlesus we were

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KING Solomon's mines. Ill

detained by accident or by swollen rivers, reach Loo on
the night of the second day.

When they had given us this information our visitors
bade us good-night ; and, having arranged to watch turn
and turn about, three of us flung ourselves down and slept
the sweet sleep of the weary, while the fourth sat up on
the lookout for possible treachery.

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by Google

CHAPTER IX.

TWALA, T^B KINa.

It will not be necessary for me to detail at length the
incidents of our journey to Loo. It took two good days'
travelling along Solomon's Great Road, which pursued its
even course right into the heart of Kukuanaland. Suffice
it to say that as we went the country seemed to grow richer
and richer, and the kraals, with their wide surrounding belts
of cultivation, more and more numerous. They were all
built upon the same principles as the first one we had
reached, and were guarded by ample garrisons of troops.
Indeed, in Kukuanaland, as among the Germans, the Zulus,
and the Masai, every able-bodied man is a soldier, so that
the whole force of the nation is available for its wars, of-
fensive or defensive. As we travelled along we were over-
taken by thousands of warriors hurrying up to Loo to be
present at the great annual review and festival, and a
grander series of troops I never saw. At sunset on the
second day we stopped to rest awhile upon the summit of
some .heights over which the road ran, and there, on a
beautiful and fertile plain before us, was Loo itself. For
a native town it was an enormous place, quite five miles'
round, I should say, with outlying kraals jutting out from
it, which served on grand occasions as cantonments for
the regiments, and a curious horseshoe-shaped hill, with
which we were destined to become better acquainted, about
two miles to the north. It was beautifully situated, and

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KING SOLOMON^S MINES. 113

through the centre of the kraal, dividing it into two por-
tions, ran a river, which appeared to be bridged at several
places, the same, perhaps, that we had seen from the slopes
of Sheba's breasts. Sixty or seventy miles away three
great snow-capped mountains, placed like the points of a
triangle, started up out of the level plain. The conforma-
tion of these mountains was unlike that of Sheba's breasts,
being sheer and precipitous, instead of smooth and rounded.

Inf adoos saw us looking at them and volunteered a re-
mark:

"The road ends there," he said, pointing to the nioun-
tains, known among the Kukuanas as the " Three Witches."

" Why does it end ?" I asked.

" Who knows ?" he answered, with a shrug; " the moun-
tains are full of caves, and there is a great pit between
them. It is there that the wise men of old time used to
go to get whatever it was they came to this country for,
and it is there now that our kings are buried in the Place
of Death." ,

" What was it they came for ?" I asked, eagerly.

" Nay, I know not. My lords who come from the stars
should know," he answered, with a quick look. Evidently
he knew more than he chose to say.

" Yes," I went on, " you are right; in the stars we know
many things. I have heard, for instance, that the wise
men of old came to those mountains to get bright stones,
pretty playthings, and yellow iron."

"My lord is wise," he answered, coldly; "I am but a
child and cannot talk with my lord on such things. My
lord must speak with Gagool the old, at the king's place,
who is wise even as my lord," and he turned away.

As soon as he was gone I turned to the others and

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114 KING Solomon's minbs.

pointed out the moantains. " There are Solomon's dia-
mond mines," I said.

Umbopa was standing with them, apparently plunged
in one of the fits of abstraction which were common to
him, and caught my words.

'^ Yes, Macamazahn,'' he put in, in Zulu, 'Hhe diamonds
are surely there, and you shall have them, since you white
men are so fond of toys and money."

" How dost thou know that, TJmbopa ?" I asked, sharply,
for I did not like his mysterious ways.

He laughed ; "I dreamed it in the night, white men,"
and then he too turned upon his heel and went.

"Now what," said Sir Henry, "is our black friend at?
He knows more than he chooses to say, that is clear. By
the way, Quatermain, has he heard anything of — of my
brother?"

"Nothing; he has asked every one he has got friendly
with, but they all declare no white man has ever been seen
in the country before."

"Do you suppose he ever got here at all?" suggested
Good; " we have only reached the place by a miracle; is
it likely he could have reached it at all without the map?"

"I don't know," said Sir Henry, gloomily, **but some-
how I think that I shall find him."

Slowly the sun sank, and then suddenly darkness rushed
down on the land like a tangible thing. There was no
breathing-place between the day and the night, no soft
transformation scene, for in these latitudes twilight does
not exist. The change from day to night is as quick and
as absolute as the change from life to death. The son
sank and the world was wreathed in shadows. But not
for long, for see, in the east there is a glowj then a bent

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KING Solomon's icmss. 115

edge of silver light, and at last the full bow of the cres-
cent moon peeps above the plain and shoots its gleaming
arrows far and wide, filling the earth with a faint ref ol-
genoe, as the glow of a good man's deeds shines for a while
upon his little world after his sun has set, lighting the
faint-hearted travellers who follow on towards a fuller
dawn.

We stood and watched the lovely sight, while the stars
grew pale before this chastened majesty, and felt onr
hearts lifted np in the presence of a beauty we could not
realize, much less describe. Mine has been a rough life,
my reader, but there are a few things I am thankful to
have lived for, and one of them is to have seen that moon
rise over Kukuanaland. Presently our meditations were
broken in upon by our polite friend Inf adoos.

" If my lords are ready we will journey on to Loo, where
a hut is made ready for my lords to-night. The moon is
now bright, so that we shall not fall on the way."

We assented, and in an hour's time were at the outskirts
of the town, of which the extent, mapped out as it was
by thousands of camp-fires, appeared absolutely endless.
Indeed, Grood, who was always fond of a bad joke, christ-
ened it " Unlimited Loo." Presently we came to a moat
with a drawbridge, where we were met by the rattling of
arms and the hoarse challenge of a sentry. Inf adoos gave
some password that I could not catch, which was met with
a salute, and we passed on through the central street of
the great grass city. After nearly half an hour's tramp
past endless lines of huts, Infadoos at last halted at the
gate of a little group of huts which surrounded a small
courtyard of powdered limestone, and informed us that
these were to be our "poor" quarters.

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116 KING Solomon's mines.

We entered, and found that a hut had been assigned to
each of us. These huts were superior to any which we
had yet seen, and in each was a most comfortable bed
made of tanned skins spread upon mattresses of aromatic
grass. Food, too, was ready for us, and as soon as we had
washed ourselves with water, which stood ready in earthen-
ware jars, some young women of handsome appearance
brought us roasted meat and mealie cobs daintily served
on wooden platters, and presented it to us with deep obei-
sances.

We ate and drank, and then, the beds having by our re-
quest been all moved into one hut, a precaution at which
the amiable young ladies smiled, we flung ourselves down
to sleep, thoroughly wearied out with our long journey.

When we woke, it was to find that the sun was high in
the heavens, and that the female attendants, who did not
seem to be troubled by any false shame, were already
standing inside the hut, having been ordered to attend and
help us to " make ready."

"Make ready, indeed," growled Good; "when one has
only a flannel shirt and a pair of boots, that does not take
long. I wish you would ask them for my trousers."

I asked accordingly, but was informed that those sacred
relics had already been taken to the king, who would see
us in the forenoon.

Having, somewhat to their astonishment and disappoint-
ment, requested the young ladies to step outside, we pro-
ceeded to make the best toilet that the circumstances
admitted of. Good even went the length of again shaving
the right side of his face; the left, on which now appeared
a very fair crop of whiskers, we impressed upon him he
must on no account touch. As for ourselves, we, were

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KING Solomon's mines. * 117

contented with a good wash and combing our hair. Sir
Henry's yellow locks were now almost down to his shoul-
ders, and he looked more like an ancient Dane than ever,
while my grizzled scrub was fully an inch long, instead
of half an inch, which in a general way I considered my
maximum length.

By the time that we had eaten our breakfast and smoked
a pipe, a message was brought to us by no less a person-
age than Inf adoos Mmself that Twala, the king, was ready
to see us, if we would be pleased to come.

We remarked in reply that we should prefer to wait
until the sun was a little higher, we were yet weary with
our journey, etc. It is always well, when dealing with un-
civilized people, not to be in too great a hurry. They are
apt to mistake politeness for awe or servility. So, although
we were quite as anxious to see Twala as Twala could be
to see us, we sat down and waited for an hour, employing
the interval in preparing such presents as our slender stock
of goods permitted — ^namely, the Winchester rifle which
had been used by poor Ventvdgel, and some beads. The
rifle and ammunition we determined to present to his royal
highness, and the beads were for his wives and courtiers.
We had already given a few to Inf adoos and Scragga, and
found that they were delighted with them, never having
seen anything like them T)efore. At length we declared
that we were ready, and, guided by Inf adoos, started off
to the lev^e, TJmbopa carrying the rifle and beads.

After walking a few hundred yards we came to an en-
closure, something like that which surrounded the huts
that had been allotted to us, only fifty times as big.' It
could not have been less than six or seven acres in extent.
All round the outside fence was a row of huts^hich were

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118

the habitations of the king's wives. Exactly opposite the
gateway, on the farther side of the open space, was a very
large hut, which stood by itself, in which his majesty re-
sided. All the rest was open ground; that is to say, it
would have been open had it not been filled by company
after company of warriors, who were mustered there to
the number of seven or eight thousand. These men stood
still as statues as we advanced through them, and it would
be impossible to give an idea of the grandeur of the spec-
tacle which they presented, in their waving plumes, their
glancing spears, and iron-backed ox-hide shields.

The space in front of the large hut was empty, but be-
fore it were placed several stools. On three of these, at a
sign from Inf adoos, we seated ourselves, Umbopa standing
behind us. As for Inf adoos, he took up a position by the
door of the hut. So we waited for ten minutes or more in
the midst of a dead silence, but conscious that we were the
object of the concentrated, gaze of some eight thousand
pairs of eyes. It was a somewhat trying ordeal, but we
carried it off as best we could. At length the door of the
hut opened, and a gigantic figure, with a splendid tiger-
skin karross flung over its shoulders, stepped out, followed
by the boy Scragga, and what appeared to us to be a with-
ered-up monkey wrapped in a fur cloak. The figure seated
itself upon a stool, Scragga took his stand behind it, and
the withered-up monkey crept on all fours into the shade
of the hut and squatted down.

Still there was silence.

Then the gigantic figure slipped off the karross and stood
up before us, a truly alarming spectacle. It was that of an
enormous man with the most entirely repulsive countenance
we had ever beheld. The lips were as thick as. a n^ro's,

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KINO Solomon's mines. 119

the nose was flat, it had bat one gleaming black eye (for
the other was represented by a hollow in the face), and its
whole expression was cruel and sensual to a degree. From
the large head rose a magnificent plume of white ostrich
feathers, the body was clad in a shirt of shining chain
armor, while round the waist and right knee was the usual
garnish of white ox-tails. In the right hand was a huge
spear. Bound the neck was a thick torque of gold, and
bound on to the forehead was a single and enormous uncut
diamond.

Still there was silence; but not for long. Presently the
figure, whom we rightly guessed to be the king, raised the
great spear in his hand. Instantly eight thousand spears
were raised in answer, and from eight thousand throats
rang out the royal salute of " Koora /" Three times this
was repeated, and each time the earth shook with the noise,
that can only be compared to the deepest notes of thunder.

" Be humble, O people," piped out a thin voice which
seemed to come from the monkey in the shade; 'Vit is the
king."

" It is the kinffy*^ boomed out eight thousand throats, in
answer. " £e humble^ people ; it is the king.^^

Then there was silence again — dead silence. Presently,
however, it was broken. A soldier on our left dropped
his shield, which fell with a clatter on the limestone floor-
ing.

Twala turned his one cold eye in the direction of the
' noise.

" Come hither, thou," he said, in a voice of thunder.

A fine young man stepped out of the ranks, and stood
before him.

"It was thy shield that fell, thou awkward dqg. '^ilt

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120 KING Solomon's mines.

thou make me a reproach in the eyes of strangers from the
stars ? What hast thou to say ?"

And then we saw the poor fellow turn pale under his
dusky skin.

" It was by chance, O calf of the black cow," he mur-
mured.

" Then it is a chance for which thou must pay. Thou
hast made me foolish; prepare for death."

" I am the king's ox," was the low answer.

" Scragga," roared the king, " let me see how thou canst
use thy spear. Kill me this awkward dog."

Scragga stepped forward with an ill-favored grin, and
lifted his spear. The poor victim covered his eyes with
his hand and stood still. As for us, we were petrified with
horror.

" Once, twice," he waved the spear and then struck, ah,
God I right home — the spear stood out a foot behind the
soldier's back. He flung up his hands and dropped dead.
From the multitude around rose something like a murmur,
it rolled round and round, and died away. The tragedy
was finished; there lay the corpse, and we had not yet real-
ized that it had been enacted. Sir Henry sprang up and
swore a great oath, then, overpowered by the sense of
silence, sat down again.

" The thrust was a good one," said the king; " take him
away."

Four men stepped out of the ranks, and, lifting the body
of the murdered man, carried it away.

" Cover up the blood-stains, cover them up," piped out ^
the thin voice from the monkey-like figure ; " the king's
word is spoken, the king's doom is done."

Thereupon a girl can)^ forward from behind the hut.

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SING Solomon's mines. 121

bearing a jar filled with powdered lime, which she scat-
tered o\(er the red mark, blotting it from sight.

Sir Henry meanwhile was boiling with rage at what had
happened; indeed, it was with difficulty that we could
keep him still.

"Sit down, for Heaven's sake," I whispered; "our lives
depend on it."

He yielded and remained quiet.

Twala sat still until the traces of the tragedy had been
removed, then he addressed us.

" White people," he said, " who come hither, whence I
know not, and why I know not, greeting."

" Greeting, Twala, king of the Kukuanas," I answered.

" White people, whence come ye, and what seek ye?"

" We come from the stars, ask us not how. We come
to see this land."

" Ye come from far to see a little thing. And that man
with ye," pointing to XJmbopa, " does he too come from
the stars ?"

"Even so; there are people of thy color in the heavens
above; but ask not of matters too high for thee, Twala,
the king."

"Ye speak with a loud voice, people of the stars," Twala
answered, in a tone which I scarcely liked. "Remember
that the stars are far off, and ye are here. How if I make
ye as him whom they bare away ?"

I laughed out loud, though there was little laughter in
my heart.

"O king," I said, "be careful; walk warily over hot
stones, lest thou shouldst bum thy feet; hold the spear
by the handle, lest thou shouldst cut thy hands. Touch
but one hair of our heads, and destruction shall come upon

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122 KiNQ Solomon's mines.

thee. What, have not these," pointing to Infadoos and
Scragga (who, young villain that he was, was employed
in cleaning the blood of the soldier oflf his spear), " told
thee what manner of men we are? Hast thou ever seen
the like of us ?" and I pointed to Good, feeling quite sure
that he had never seen anybody before who looked in the
least like him as he then appeared.

" It is true, I have not," said the king.

"Have they not told thee bow we strike with death
from afar ?" I went on.

" They have told me, but I believe them not. Let me
see you kill. Kill me a man among those who stand yon-
der " — and he pointed to the opposite side of the kraal —
" and I will believe."

"Nay," I answered; **we shed no blood of man except
in just punishment; but if thou wilt see, bid thy servants
drive in an ox through the kraal gates, and before he has
run twenty paces I will strike him dead."

" Nay," laughed the king, " kill me a man, and I will
believe."

" Good, O king, so be it," I answered, coolly; " do thou
walk across the open space, and before thy feet reach the
gate thou shalt be dead; or, if thou wilt not, send thy son
Scragga" (whom at that moment it would have given me
much pleasure to shoot).

On hearing this suggestion Scragga gave a sort of howl,
and bolted into the hut.

Twala frowned majestically; the suggestion did not
please him.

" Let a young ox be driven in," he said.

Two men at once departed, running swiftly.

" Now, Sir Henry," said I, " do you shoot. I want to

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KiNa Solomon's mines. 12 J

show this ruffian that I am not the only magician of the
party."

Sir Henry accordingly took the " express," and made
ready.

" I hope I shall make a good shot," he groaned.

"You must," I answered. " If you miss with the first
barrel, let him have the second. Sight for on^^undred
and fifty yards, and wait till the beast turns broadside
on."

Then came a pause, till presently we caught sight of an
ox running straight for the kraal gate. It came on through
the gate, and then, catching sight of the vast concourse of
people, stopped stupidly, turned round, and bellowed.

" Now's your time," I whispered.

Up went the rifle.

Bang ! thud I and the ox was kicking on his back, shot
in the ribs. The semi-hollow bullet had done its work
well, and a sigh of astonishment went up from the assem-
bled thousands.

I turned coolly round —

"Have I lied, O king?"

*^ Nay, white man, it is a truth," was the somewhat
awed answer.

"Listen, Twala," I went on. "Thou hast seen. Now
know we come in peace, not in war. See here " (and I held
up the Winchester repeater) ; " here is a hollow staff that
shall enable you to kill even as we kill, only this charm I
lay upon it, thou shalt kill no man with it. If thou lif test
it against a man, it shall kill thee. Stay, I will show thee.
Bid a man step forty paces and place the shaft of a spear
in the ground so that the flat blade looks towards us."

In a few seconds it was done.

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124 KING Solomon's minbs.

" Now, see, I will break the spear."

Taking a careful sight, I fired. The bnllet stmck the flat
of the spear and broke the blade into fragments.

Again the sigh of astonishment went up.

"Now, Twala" (handing him the rifle), "this magio
lube we give to thee, and by and by I will show thee how
to use it; but beware how thou usest the magic of the stars
against a man of earth," and I handed him the rifle. He
took it very gingerly, and laid it down at his feet. As he
did so I observed the wizened, monkey-like figure creeping
up from the shadow of the hut. It crept on all fours, but
when it reached the place where the king sat it rose upon
its feet, and, throwing the furry covering off its face, re-
vealed a most extraordinary and weird countenance. It
was (apparently) that of a woman of great age, so ishrunken
that in size it was no larger than that of a year-old child,
and was made up of a collection of deep, yellow wrinkles.
Set in the wrinkles was a sunken slit that represented the
mouth, beneath which the chin curved outward to a point.
There was no nose to speak of ; indeed, the whole coun-
tenance might have been taken for that of a sun-dried
corpse had it not been for a pair of large black eyes, still
full of fire and intelligence, which gleamed and played
under the snow-white eyebrows and the projecting parch-
ment-colored skull, like jewels in a charnel-house. As for
the skull itself, it was perfectly bare, and yellow in hue,
while its wrinkled scalp moved and contracted like the
hood of a cobra.

The figure to whom this fearful countenance, which
caused a shiver of fear to pass through us as we gazed on
it, belonged stood still for a moment, and then suddenly
projected a skinny claw armed with nails nearly an inch

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Kma SOLOMON'S MIKES. 125

long, and laid it on the shoulder of Twala, the king, and
began to speak in a thin, piercing voice:

" Listen, O king ! Listen, O people I Listen, O moun-
tains and plains and rivers, home of the Eukuana race!
Listen, O skies and sun, O rain and storm and mist I
Listen, all things that live and must die ! Listen, all dead
things that must live again — again to die I Listen, the
spirit of life is in me, and I prophesy. I prophesy I I
prophesy !"

The words died away in a faint wail, and terror seemed
to seize upon the hearts of all who heard them, including
ourselves. The old woman was very terrible.

^^Blood! blood/ blood/ rivers of blood; blood every-
where. I see it, I smell it, I taste it — it is salt; it runs
red upon the ground, it rains down from the skies.

^^ Footsteps / footsteps / footsteps / the tread of the white
man coming from afar. It shakes the earth; the earth
trembles before her master.

" Blood is good, the red blood is bright ; there is no
smell like the smell of new-shed blood. The lions shall
lap it and roar, the vultures shall wash their wings in it
and shriek in joy.

"I am old ! I am old I I have seen much blood; but I
shall see more ere I die, and be merry. How old am I,
think ye ? Your fathers knew me, and their fathers knew
me, and their fathers' fathers. I have seen the white man,
and know his desires. I am old, but the mountains are
older than L Who made the great road, tell me? Who
wrote in pictures on the rocks, tell me? Who reared
up the three silent ones yonder, who gaze across the pit,
tell me ?" (And she pointed towards the three precipitous
mountains we had noticed on the previous night.)

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120

" Ye know not, but I know. It was a white people who
were before ye were, who shall be when ye are not, who
shall eat ye up and destroy ye. Yea ! yea I yea I

" And what came they for, the white ones, the terrible
ones, the skilled in magic and all learning, the strong, the
unswerving? What is that bright stone upon thy fore-
head, O king? Whose hands made the iron garments
upon thy breast, O king ? Ye know not, but I know. I
the old one, I the wise one, I the Isanusi I" (witch doc-

Then she turned her bald, vulture head towards us.

" What seek ye, white men of the stars ? Ah, yes, of the
stars ! Do ye seek a lost one ? Ye shall not find him
here. He is not here. Never for ages upon ages has a
white foot pressed this land ; never but once, and he left
it but to die. Ye come for bright stones ; I know it — I
know it; ye shall find them when the blood is dry; but
shall ye return whence ye came, or shall ye stop with me ?
Ha ! ha ! ha !

" And thou — thou with the dark skin and the proud bear-
ing" (pointing her skinny finger at Umibopa), "who art
tJiou^ and what seekest thou? Not stones that shine; not
yellow metal that gleams; that thou leavest to ^ white men
from the stars.' Methinks I know thee ; methinks I can
smell the smell of the blood in thy veins. Strip off the
girdle — "

Here the features of this extraordinary creature became
convulsed, and she fell to the ground foaming in an epi-
leptic fit and was carried off into the hut.

The king rose up trembling, and waved his hand. In-
stantly the regiments began to file off, and in ten minutes,
save for ourselves, the king, and a few attendants, the ereat
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KINO Solomon's mines. 127

" White people," he said, ** it passes in my mind to kill
ye. Oagool has spoken strange words. What say ye ?"

I laughed. ^'Be careful, O king, we are not easy to
slay. Thou hast seen the fate of the ox; wouldst thou be
as the ox?"

The king frowned. " It is not well to threaten a king,"

" We threaten not, we speak what is true. Try to kill
us, O king, and learn."

The great man put his hand to his forehead.

" Go in peace," he said, at length. " To-night is the
great dance. Ye shall see it. Fear not that I shall set a
snare for ye. To-morrow I shall think."

"It is well, O king," I answered, unconcernedly, and
then, accompanied by Inf adoos, we rose and went back to
our kraaL

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CHAPTER X.

THE WITCH-HUNT.

On reaching oar hut, I motioned to Infadoos to enter
with us.

" Now, Infadoos," I said, " we would speak with thee."

" Let my lords say on."

" It seems to us, Infadoos, that Twala, the king, is a
cruel man."

" It is so, my lords. Alas ! the land cries out with his
cruelties. To-night ye will see. It is the great witch-
hunt, and many will be smelt out as wizards and slain.
No man's life is safe. If the king covet's a man's cattle
or a man's life, or if he fears a man that he should excite
a rebellion against him, then Gagool, whom ye saw, or
some of the witch-finding women whom she has taught,
will smell that man out as a wizard, and he will be killed.
Many will die before the moon grows pale to-night. It
is ever so. Perhaps I too shall be killed. As yet I have
been spared, because I am skilled in war and beloved by
the soldiers; but I know not how long I shall live. The
land groans at the cruelties of Twala, the king ; it is
wearied of him and his red ways."

<^ Then why is it, Infadoos, that the people do not cast
him down ?"

" Nay, my lords, he is the king, and if he were killed
Scragga would reign in his place, and the heart of Scragga
is blacker than the heart of Twala, his father. If Scragga

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KING SOLOMON^S MINBS. 129

were king the yoke upon our neck would be heavier than
the yoke of Twala. If Imotu had never been slain, or if
Ignosi, his son, had lived, it had been otherwise; but they
are both dead."

" How know you that Ignosi is dead ?" said a voice be-
hind us. We looked round with astonishment to see who
spoke. It was XJmbopa.

" What meanest thou, boy ?" asked Infadoos; " who told
thee to speak ?"

" Listen, Infadoos," was the answer, " and I will tell
thee a story. Years ago the king Imotu was killed in
this country, and his wife fled with the boy Ignosi. Is it
not so ?"

"It is so."

" It was said that the woman and the boy died upon
the mountains. Is it not so ?"

" It is even so."

"Well, it came to pass that the mother and the boy
Ignosi did not die. They crossed the mountains, and were
led by a tribe of wandering desert men across the sands
beyond, till at last they came to water and grass and trees
again."

" How knowest thou ?"

"Listen. They travelled on and on, many months' jour-
ney, till they reached a land where a people called the
Amazulu, who too are of the Kukuana stock, live by war,
and with them they tarried many years, till at length the
mother died. Then the son, Ignosi, again became a wan-
derer, and went on into a land of wonders, where white
people live, and for many more years learned the wisdom
of the white people."

" It is a pretty story," said Infadoos, incredulously.

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130 KING Solomon's minbs.

^^ For many years he lived there working as a servant
and a soldier, but holding in his heart all that his mother
had told him of his own place, and casting about in his
mind to find how he might get back there to see his own
people and his father's house before he died. For many
years he lived and waited, and at last the time came, as it
ever comes to him who can wait for it, and he met some
white men who would seek this unknown land, and joined
himself to them. The white men started and journeyed
on and on, seeking for one who is lost. They crossed the
burning desert, they crossed the snow-clad mountains, and
reached the land of the Kukuanas, and there they met
thee, oh Infadoos."

^^ Surely thou art mad to talk thus," said the astonished
old soldier.

"Thou thinkest so; see, I will show thee, O my uncle.
" I am Ignosi, rightful king of the kukuanas /"

Then, with a single movement, he slipped off the
" moocha," or girdle round his middle, and stood naked
before us.

"Look," he said; "what is this?" and he pointed to the
mark of a great snake tattooed in blue round his middle,
its tail disappearing in its open mouth just above where
the thighs are set into the body.

Infadoos looked, his eyes starting nearly out of his head,
and then fell upon his knees.

^^ Kooml KoomP'^ he ejaculated; "it is my brother's
son; it is the king."

" Did I not tell thee so, my uncle ? Rise; I am not yet
the king, but with thy help, and with the help of these
brave white men, who are my friends, I shall be. But the
old woman Gagool was right; the land shall run with blood

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KING Solomon's mikbs. 131

first, and hers shall run with it, for she killed my father
with her words, and drove my mother forth. And now,
Infadoos, choose thou. Wilt thou put thy hands between
my hands and be my man ? Wilt thou share the deLUgers
that lie before me, and help me to overthrow this tyrant
and murderer, or wilt thou not ? Choose thou ?"

The old man put his hand to his head and thought.
Then he rose, and, advancing to where XJmbopa, or rather
Ignosi, stood, knelt before him and took his hand.

^' Ignosi, rightful king of the Kukuanas, I put my hand
between thy hands, and am thy man till death. When
thou wast a babe I dandled thee upon my knee; now shall
my old arm strike for thee and freedom."

"It is well, Infadoos; if I conquer, thou shalt be the
greatest man in the kingdom after the king. If I fail, thou
canst only die, and death is not far off for thee. Rise, my
uncle.

" And ye, white men, will ye help me ? What have I to
offer ye 1 The white stones, if I conquer and you can find
them, ye shall have as many as ye can carry hence. Will
that suffice ye ?"

I translated this remark.

" Tell him," answered Sir Henry, " that he mistakes an
Englishman. Wealth is good, and if it comes in our way
we will take it; but a gentlemaa does not sell himself for
wealth. But, speaking for myself, I say this : I have
always liked XJmbopa, and so far as in me lies will stand
by him in this business. It will be very pleasant to me
to try and square matters with that cruel devil, Twala.
What do you say, Good, and you, Quatermain ?"

"Well," said Good, "to adopt the language of hyper-
bole, in which all these people seem to indulge, you can tell

132 KiNQ Solomon's mines.

him that a row is surely good, and warms the cockles of
the heart, and that, so far as I am concerned, I'm his
boy. My only stipulation is that he allows me to wear
trousers."

I translated these answers.

"It is well, my friends," said Ignosi, late TJmbopa;
"and what say you, Macumazahn; art thou too with me,
old hunter, cleverer than a wounded buffalo ?"

I thought awhile and scratched my head.

" TJmbopa, or Ignosi," I said, " I don't like revolutions.
I am a man of peace, and a bit of a coward " (here TJm-
bopa smiled), "but, on the other hand, I stick to my
friends, Ignosi. You have stuck to us and played the part
of a man, and I will stick to you. But, mind you, I am a
trader, and have to make my living; so I accept your offer
about those diamonds, in case we should ever be in a posi-
tion to avail ourselves of it. Another thing: we came, as
you know, to look for Incubu's (Sir Henry's) lost brother.
You must help us to find him."

"That will I do," answered Ignosi. "Stay, Infadoos;
by the sign of the snake round my middle, tell me the
truth. Has any white man to thy knowledge set his foot
within the land?"

"None, O IgnosL"

" If any white man had been seen or heard of, wouldst
thou have known it ?"

" I should certainly have known."

"Thou heare8t,Incubu?" said Ignosi to Sir Henry ; "he
has not been here."

" Well, well," said Sir Henry, with a sigh; " there it is;
I suppose he never got here. Poor fellow, poor fellow!
So it has all been for nothing. God's will begone.'/

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KINO Solomon's minbs. 133

" Now for business," I put in, anxious to escape from a
painful subject. "It is very well to be a king by right
divine, Ignosi, but how dost thou propose to become a king
indeed?"

" Nay, I know not. Inf adoos, hast thou a plan ?"

" Ignosi, son of the lightning," answered his uncle, "to-
night is the great dance and witch - hunt. Many will be
smelt out and perish, and in the hearts of many others
there will be grief and anguish and anger against the king
Twala. When the dance is over, then will I speak to some
of the great chiefs, who in turn, if I can win them over,
shall speak to their regiments. I shall speak to the chiefs
softly at first, and bring them to see that thou art indeed
the king, and I think that by to-morrow's light thou shalt
have twenty thousand spears at thy command. And now
must I go and think and hear and make ready. After the
dance is done I will, if I am yet alive, and we are all alive,
meet thee here, and we will talk. At the best there will
be war."

At this moment our conference was interrupted by the
cry that messengers had come from the king. Advanc-
ing to the door of the hut, we ordered that they should
be admitted, and presently three men entered, each bear-
ing a shining shirt of chain -armor and a magnificent
battle-axe.

"The gifts of my lord, the king, to the white men
from the stars !" exclaimed a herald who had come with
them.

"We thank the king," I answered; "withdraw."

The men went, and we examined the armor with great
interest. It was the most beautiful chain-work we had
ever seen. A whole coat fell together so closely that it

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134 KING Solomon's mines.

formed a mass of links scarcely too big to be covered with
both hands.

" Do you make these things in this country, Infadoos ?"
I asked; "they are very beautiful."

"Nay, my lord; they come down to us from our fore-
fathers. We know not who made them, and there are but
few left. None but those of royal blood may wear them.
They are magic coats through which no spear can pass.
He who wears them is well-nigh safe in the battle. The
king is well pleased or much afraid, or he would not have
sent them. Wear them to-night, my lords."

The rest of the day we spent quietly resting and talking
over the situation, which was sufficiently exciting. At
last the sun went down, the thousand watch-fires glowed
out, and through the darkness we heard the tramp of
many feet and the clashing of hundreds of spears, as the
regiments passed to their appointed places to be readv for
the great dance. About ten the full moon came up in
splendor, and as we stood watching her ascent Infadoos
arrived, clad in full war toggery, and accompanied by a
guard of twenty men to escort us to the danca We had
already, as he recommended, donned the shirts of chain
armor which the king had sent us, putting them on under
our ordinary clothing, and finding to our surprise that they
were neither very heavy nor uncomfortable. These steel
shirts, which had evidently been made for men of a very
large stature, hung somewhat loosely upon Good and my-
self, but Sir Henry's fitted his magnificent frame like a
glove. Then, strapping our revolvers round our waists,
and taking the batt4e-axes which the king had sent with
the armor in our hands, we started.

On arriving at the great kraal where we had that mom-

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135

ing been interviewed by the king, we found that it was
closely packed with some twenty thousand men arranged
in regiments round it. The regiments were in turn di-
vided into companies, and between each company was a
little path to allow free passage to the witch-finders to
pass up and down. Anything more imposing than the
sight that was presented by this vast and orderly con-
course of armed men it is impossible for one to conceive.
There they stood perfectly silent, and the moonlight
poured its light upon the forest of their raised spears,
upon their majestic forms, waving plumes, and the har-
monious shading of their various-colored shields. Wher-
ever we looked was line upon line of set faces surmounted
by range upon range of glittering spears.

" Surely," I said to Infadoos, " the whole army is here ?"

" Nay, Macumazahn," he answered, " but a third part of
it. One third part is present at this dance each year, an-
other third part is mustered outside in case there should
. be trouble when the killing begins, ten thousand more
garrison the outposts round Loo, and the rest watch at
* the kraals in the country. Thou seest it is a very great
meople.*'

% **They are very silent," said Good; and, indeed, the in-
tense stillness among such a vast concourse of living men
was almost overpowering.

" What says Bougwan ?" asked Infadoos.

I translated.

"Those over whom the shadow of death is hovering
are silent," he answered, grimly.

"Will many be killed?"

" Very many."

" It seems," I said to the others, " that we are going to

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136 KINO Solomon's mines.

assist at a gladiatorial show arranged regardless of ex-
pense."

Sir Henry shivered, and Good said that he wished that
we could get out of it.

" Tell me," I asked Inf adoos, " are we in danger ?"

" I know not, my lords — I trust not ; but do not seem
afraid. If ye live through the night all may go well.
The soldiers murmur against the king."

All this while we had been advancing steadily towards
the centre of the open space, in the midst of which were
placed some stools. As we proceeded we perceived an-
other small party coming from the direction of the royal
hut.

" It is the king, Twala, and Scragga his son, and Gagool
the old, and see, with them are those who slay," and he
pointed to a little group of about a dozen gigantic and
savage - looking men, armed with spears in one hand and.
heavy kerries in the other.

The king seated himself upon the centre stool, Oagool
crouched at his feet, and the others stood behind.

" Greeting, white lords," he cried, as we came up; "be
seated, waste not the precious time — the night is all too
short for the deeds that must be done. Ye come in a
good hour, and shall see a glorious show. Look round,
white lords; look round," and he rolled his one wicked eye
from regiment to regiment. " Can the stars show ye such
a sight as this ? See how they shake in their wickedness,
all those who have evil in their hearts and fear the judg-
ment of ' Heaven above.' "

" Begin ! begin /" cried out Gagool, in her thin, pierc-
ing voice ; " the hyenas are hungry, they howl for food.
Begin! begin P'* Then for a moment there was intense

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KiKG Solomon's mines. 13?

stillness, made horrible by a presage of what was to
come.

The king lifted his spear, and suddenly twenty thousand
feet were raised, as though they belonged to one man, and
brought down with a stamp upon the earth. This was
repeated three times, causing the solid ground to shake
and tremble. Then from a far point of the circle a soli-
tary voice began a wailing song, of which the refrain ran
something as follows:

" Whctt is the lot of^ man horn of woman P^

Back came the answer rolling out from every throat in
that vast company:

'' Death r

Gradually, however, the song was taken up by company
after company, till the whole armed multitude were sing-
ing it, and I could no longer follow the words, except in
so far as they appeared to represent various phases of hu-
man passions, fears, and joys. Now it seemed to be a love-
song, now a majestic swelling war-chant, and last of all a
death -dirge, ending suddenly in one heartbreaking wail
that went echoing and rolling away in a volume of blood-
curdling sound. Again the silence fell upon the place,
and again it was broken by the king lifting up his hand.
Instantly there was a pattering of feet, and from out of
the masses of the warriors strange and awful figures came
running towards us. As they drew near we saw that they
were those of women, most of them aged, for their white
hair, ornamented with small bladders taken from fish,
streamed out behind them. Their faces were painted in
stripes of white and yellow; down their backs hung snake-
skins, and round their waists rattled circlets of human
bones, while each held in her shrivelled hand a small

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138 KIKG Solomon's mikbs.

forked wand. In all there were ten of them. When
they arrived in front of ns they halted, and one of them,
pointing with her wand towards the crouching figure of
Gagool, cried out:

" Mother, old mother, we are here."

" Good! good! 'goodP'* piped out that aged iniquity.
"Are your eyes keen, Isanusis" (witch doctresses), "ye
seers in dark places ?''

" Mother, they are keen."

" Good I good! aood! Are your ears open, Isanusis, ye
who hear words tnat come not from the tongue ?"

" Mother, they are open."

" Good! good! good! Are your senses awake, Isanusis
— can ye smell blood, can ye purge the land of the wicked
ones who compass evil against the king and against their
neighbors? Are ye ready to do the justice of * Heav-
en above,' ye whom I have taught, who have eaten of
the bread of my wisdom and drunk of the water of my
magic ?"

" Mother, we can."

" Then go ! Tarry not, ye vultures; see the slayers " —
pointing to the ominous group of executioners behind —
"make sharp their spears; the white men from afar are
hungry to see. Go."

With a wild yell the weird party broke away in every
direction, like fragments from a shell, and, the dry bones
round their waists rattling as they ran, made direct for
various points of the dense human circle. We could not
watch them all, so fixed our eyes upon the Isanusi nearest
us. When she came within a few paces of the warriors,
she halted and began to dance wildly, turning rpund and
round with an almost incredible rapidity, and.shrieking

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KING SOLOHON^S MIl<niB8. 189

oat sentences such as ''I smell him, the evil-doer!'' ^'He
is near, he who poisoned his mother !" ^' I hear the
thoughts of him who thought evil of the king 1"

Quicker and quicker she danced, till she lashed herself
into such a frenzy of excitement that the foam flew in
flecks from her gnashing jaws, her eyes seemed to start
from her head, and her flesh to quiver visibly. Suddenly
she stopped dead, and stiffened all over, like a pointer dog
when he scents game, and then with outstretched wand
began to creep stealthily towards the qpldiers before her.
It seemed to us that as she came their stoicism gave way,
and that they shrank from her. As for ourselves, we fol-
lowed her movements with a horrible fascination. Pres-
ently, still creeping and crouching like a dog, she was be-
fore them. Then she stopped and pointed, and then again
crept on a pace or two.

Suddenly the end came. With a shriek she sprang in
and touched a tall warrior with the forked wand. In-
stantly two of his comrades, those standing immediately
next to him, seized the doomed man, each by one arm, and
advanced with him towards the king.

He did not resist, but we saw that he dragged his limbs
as though they were paralyzed, and his fingers, from which
the spear had fallen, were limp as those of a man newly
dead.

As he came, two of the villainous executioners stepped
forward to meet him. Presently they met, and the exe-
cutioners turned round towards the king as though for or-
ders.

''KiUr said the king.

''EiUP' squeaked GagooL

"IRUr^ re-echoed Scragga, with a hollow chuckle.

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140

Almost before the words were uttered, the horrible deed
was done. One man had driven his spear into the victim's
heart, and, to make assurance doubly sure^ the other had
dashed out his brains with his great club.

" Owe," counted Twala, the king, just like a black Madame
Defarge, as Good said, and the body was dragged a few
paces away and stretched out.

Hardly was this done before another poor wretch was
brought up, like an ox to the slaughter. This time we
could see, from the leopard-skin cloak, that the man was
a person of rank. Again the awful syllables were spoken,
and the victim fell dead.

" Tbo," counted the king.

And so the deadly game went on, till some hundred
bodies were stretched in rows behind us. I have heard of
the gladiatorial shows of the Caesars, and of the Spanish
bull-fights, but I take the liberty of doubting if they were
either of them half as horrible as this Kukuana witch-hunt.
Gladiatorial shows and Spanish bull-fights, at any rate,
contributed to the public amusement, which certainly was
not the case here. The most confirmed sensation-monger
would fight shy of sensation if he knew that it was well
on the cards that he would, in his own proper person, be
the subject of the next " event."

Once we rose and tried to remonstrate, but were sternly
repressed by Twala.

" Let the law take its course, white men. These dogs
are magicians and evil-doers; it is well that they should
die," was the only answer vouchsafed to us.

About midnight there was a pause. The witch-finders
gathered themselves together, apparently exhausted with
their bloody work, and we thought that the /whole jper-

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KING Solomon's mikbs. 141

fonnance was done with. But it was not so, for present-
Ijy to our surprise, the old woman, Gagool, rose from her
crouching position, and, supporting herself with a stick,
staggered off into the open space. It was an extraordinary
sight to see this frightful, vulture-headed old creature, bent
nearly double with extreme age, gather strength by de-
grees till at last she rushed about almost as actively as her
ill-omened pupils. To and fro she ran, chanting to herself,
till suddenly she made a dash at a tall man standing in
front of one of the regiments, and touched him. As she
did so a sort of groan went up from the regiment, which
he evidently commanded. But all the same two of its
members seized him and brought him up for execution.
We afterwards learned that he was a man of great wealth
and importance, being, indeed, a cousin of the king's.

He was slain, and the king counted one hundred and
three. Then Gagool again sprang to and fro, gradually
drawing nearer and nearer to ourselves.

"Hang me if I don't believe she is going to try her
games on us," ejaculated Good, in horror.

" Nonsense !" said Sir Henry.

As for myself, as I saw that old fiend dancing nearer
and nearer, my heart positively sank into my boots. I
glanced behind us at the long rows of corpses, and
shivered.

Nearer and nearer waltzed Gagool, looking for all the
world like an animated crooked stick, her horrid eyes
gleaming and glowing with a most unholy lustre.

Nearer she came, and nearer yet, every pair of eyes in
that vast assemblage watching her movements with in-
tense anxiety. At last she stood still and pointed.

*' Which is it to be ?" asked Sir Henry, to hmself. t

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142 KING Solomon's mines.

In a moment all doubts were set at rest, for the old
woman had rushed in and touched IJmbopa, alias Ignosi,
on the shoulder.

" I smell him out," she shrieked. '^ Kill him, kill him,
he is full of evil ; kill him, the stranger, before blood flows
for him. Slay him, O king."

There was a pause, which I instantly took advantage of.

" O king," I called out, rising from my seat, " this man
is the servant of thy guests, he is their dog ; whosoever
sheds the blood of our dog sheds our blood. By the sa-
cred law of hospitality I claim protection for him."

" Gagool, mother of the witch doctors, has smelled him
out; he must die, white men," was the sullen answer.

"Nay, he shall not die," I replied ; "he who tries to
touch him shall die indeed."

"Seize him I" roared Twala, to the executioners, who
stood around red to the eyes with the blood of their vic-
tims.

They advanced towards us, and then hesitated. As for
Ignosi, he raised his spear, and raised it as though deter-
mined to sell his life dearly.

" Stand back, ye dogs," I shouted, " if ye would see to-
morrow's light. Touch one hair of his head and your king
dies," and I covered Twala with my revolver. Sir Henry
and Good also drew their pistols. Sir Henry pointing his
at the leading executioner, who was advancing to carry out
the sentence, and Oood taking a deliberate aim at Gagool.

Twala winced perceptibly, as my barrel came in a line
with his broad chest.

" Well," I said, " what is it to be, Twala ?"

Then he spoke.

" Put away your magic tubes," he said; " ye have ad-

143

jnred me in the name of hospitality, and for that reason,
but not from fear of what ye can do, I spare him. 60 in
peace."

" It is well," I answered, uDConcemedly ; " we are weary
of slaughter, and would sleep. Is the dance ended ?"

"It is ended," Twala answered, sulkily. "Let these
dogs," pointing to the long rows of corpses, " be flung out
to the hyenas and the vultures," and he lifted his spear.

Instantly the regiments began in perfect silence to defile
oflE through the kraal gateway, a fatigue party only re-
maining behind to drag away the corpses of those who had
been sacrificed.

Then we too rose, and, making our salaam to his majesty,
which he hardly deigned to acknowledge, departed to our
kraal.

" Well," said Sir Henry, as we sat down, having first lit
a lamp of the sort used by the Kukuanas, of which the
wick is made of the fibre of a species of palm leaf and the
oil of clarified hippopotamus fat, " well, I feel uncommon-
ly inclined to be sick."

" If I had any doubts about helping XJmbopa to rebel
against that infernal blackguard," put in Oood, "they are
gone now. It was as much as I could do to sit still while
that slaughter was going on. I tried to keep my eyes
shut, but they would open just at the wrong time. I won-
der where Infadoos is. Umbopa, my friend, you ought to
be grateful to us ; your skin came near to having an air-
hole made in it."

"I am grateful, Bcmgwan," was XJmbopa's answer, when
I had translated, " and I shall not forget. As for Infa-
doos, he will be here by and by. We must wait."

So we lit our pipes and waited.

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CHAPTER XI.

WE GIVE A SIGN.

Fob a long while — two hours, I should think — ^we sat
there in silence, for we were too overwhelmed by the rec-
ollection of the horrors we had seen to talk. At last, just
as we were thinking of turning in — ^f or already there were
faint streaks of light in the eastern sky — we heard the
sound of steps. Then came the challenge of the sentry
who was posted at the kraal gate, which was apparently
answered, though not in an audible tone, for the steps
came on; and in another second Infadoos had entered the
hut, followed by some half a dozen stately -looking chiefs.

" My lords," he said, " I have come, according to my
word. My lords and Ignosi, rightful king of the Kuku-
anas, I have brought with me these men," pointing to the
row of chiefs, " who are great men among us, having each
one of them the command of three thousand soldiers, who
live but to do their bidding, under the king's. I have told
them of what I have seen, and what my ears have heard.
Now let them also see the sacred snake around thee, and
hear thy story, Ignosi, that they may say whether or no
they will make cause with thee against Twala the king."

For answer, Ignosi again stripped off his girdle and ex-
hibited the snake tattooed around him. Each chief in
turn drew near and examined it by the dim light of the
lamp, and without saying a word passed on to the other
side. ^ ,

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KING Solomon's minbs. 145

Then Ignosi resumed his moocha and^ addressing them,
repeated the history he had detailed in the morning.

" Now ye have heard, chiefs," said Inf adoos, when he
had done, '' what say ye; will ye stand by this man and
help him to his father's throne, or will ye not ? The land
cries out against Twala, and the blood of the people flows
like the waters in spring. Ye have seen to-night. Two
other chiefs there were with whom I had it in my mind to
speak, and where are they now ? The hyenas howl over
their corpses. Soon will ye be as they are if ye strike not.
Choose, then, my brothers."

The eldest of the six men, a short, thick-set warrior, with
white hair, stepped forward a pace and answered,

" Thy words are true, Infadoos; the land cries out. My
own brother is among those who died to-night ; but this
is a great matter, and the thing is hard to believe. How
know we that if we lift our spears it may not be for an im-
postor ? It is a great matter, I say, and none may see the
end of it. For of this be sure, blood will flow in rivers
before the deed is done; many will still cleave to the king,
for men worship the sun that still shines bright in the
heavens, and not that which has not risen. These white
men from the stars, their magic is great, and Ignosi is
under the cover of their wing. If he be indeed the right-
ful king, let them give us a sign, and let the people have
a sign, that all may see. So shall men cleave to us, know-
ing that the white man's magic is with them."

" Ye have the sign of the snake," I answered.

*' My lord, it is not enough. The snake may have been
placed there since the man's birth. Show us a sign. We
will not move without a sign."

The others gave a decided assent, and I turned in per-

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146 KING Solomon's mines.

plexity to Sir Henry and Oood^ and explained the situa-
tion.

"I think I have it,*' said Qood, exultingly; "ask them
to give us a moment to think.''

I did so, and the chiefs withdrew. As soon as they
were gone, Good went to the little box in which his medi*
cines were, unlocked it, and took oat a note-book, in the
front of which was an almanac. " Now, look here, yon
fellows, isn't to-morrow the fourth of June ?"

We had kept a careful note of the days, so were able to
answer that it was.

"Very good; then here we have it — *4 June, total
eclipse of the sun commences at 11.15 Greenwich time,
visible in these islands, Africa^ etc' There's a sign for
you. Tell them that you will darken the sun to-morrow."

The idea was a splendid one ; indeed, the only fear
about it was a fear lest Good's almanac might be incor-
rect. If we made a false prophecy on such a subject, our
prestige would be gone forever, and so would Ignosi's
chance of the throne of the Kukuanas.

" Suppose the almanac is wrong ?" suggested Sir Henry
to Good, who was busily employed in working out some-
thing on the fly-leaf of the book.

"I don't see any reason to suppose anything of the
sort," was his answer. "Eclipses always come up to
time ; at least, that is my experience of them, and it es-
pecially states that it will be visible in Africa. I have
worked out t)ie reckonings as well as I can without know-
ing our exact position ; and I make out that the eclipse
should begin here about one o'clock to-morrow, and last
till half -past two. For half an hour or more there should
be total darkness."

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KING Solomon's minss. 147

" Well," said Sir Henry, " I sappose we had better risk
it."

I acquiesced, though doubtfully, for eclipses are queer
cattle to deal with, and sent XJmbopa to summon the
chiefs back. Presently they came, and I addressed them
thus:

^' Oreat men of the Kukuanas, and thou, Inf adoos, lis-
ten. We are not fond of showing our powers, since to do
so is to interfere with the course of nature, and plunge
the world into fear and confusion ; but as this matter is
a great one, and as we are angered against the king be-
cause of the slaughter we have seen, and because of the
act of the Isanusi Gagool, who would have put our friend
Ignosi to death, we have determined to do so, and to give
such a sign as all men may see. Come thither," and I led
them to the door of the hut and pointed to the fiery ball
of the rising sun ; " what see ye there ?"

^'We see the rising sun," answered the spokesman of
the party.

^^It is so. Now tell me, can any mortal man put out
that sun, so that night comes down on the land at mid-
day?"

The chief laughed a little. ^* No, my lord, that no man
can do. The sun is stronger than man who looks on
him."

" Ye say so. Yet I tell you that this day, one hour af-
ter midday, will we put out that sun for a space of an
hour, and darkness shall cover the earth, and it shall be
for a sign that we are indeed men of honor, and that Ig-
nosi is indeed king of the Kukuanas. If we do this thing
will it satisfy ye?"

^' Yea, my lords," answered the old chief with a smile.

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148 KING Solomon's mines.

which was reflected on the faces of his companionB ; ** if
ye do this thing we will be satisfied indeed."

" It shall be done: we three, Incubu the Elephant, Boug-
wan the clear-eyed, and Macumazahn, who watches in the
night, have said it, and it shall be done. Dost thou hear,
Infadoos?"

" I bear, my lord, but it is a wonderful thing that ye
promise, to put out the sun, the father of all things, who
shines forever."

" Yet shall we do it, Inf adoos."

"It is well, my lords. To-day, a little after midday,
will Twala send for my lords to witness the girls dance,
and one hour after the dance begins shall the girl whom
Twala thinks the fairest be killed by Scragga, the king's
son, as a sacrifice to the silent stone ones, who sit and keep
watch by the mountains yonder," and he pointed to the
three strange-looking peaks where Solomon's Boad was
supposed to end. " Then let my lords darken the sun, and
save the maiden's life, and the people will indeed believe."

"Ay," said the old chief, still smiling a little, "the peo-
ple will believe, indeed."

" Two miles from Loo," went on Inf adoos, ** there is a
hill curved like the new moon, a stronghold, where my
regiment, and three other regiments which these men com-
mand, are stationed. This morning we will make a plan
whereby other regiments, two or three, may be moved
there also. Then, if my lords can indeed darken the sun,
in the darkness I will take my lords by the hand and lead
them out of Loo to this place, where they shall be safe,
and thence can we make war upon Twala, the king."

"It is good," said L "Now leave us to sleep awhile
and make ready our magic."

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149

Inf adoos rose, and, having saluted us, departed with the
chiefs.

^'My friends," said Ignosi, as soon as thej were gone,
^^can ye indeed do this wonderful thing, or were ye speak-
ing empty words to the men?*'

"We believe that we can do it, Umbopa — Ignosi, I
mean.**

"It is strange," he answered, "and had ye not been
Englishmen I would not have believed it ; but English
^gentlemen' tell no lies. If we live through the matter,
be sure I will repay ye I"

"Ignosi," said Sir Henry, "promise me one thing."

" I will promise, Incubu, my friend, even before I hear
it," answered the big man with a smile. " What is it ?"

" This : that if you ever come to be king of this people
you will do away with the smelling out of witches such as
we have seen last night; and that the killing of men with-
out trial shall not take place in the land."

Ignosi thought for a moment, after I had translated this,
and then answered :

" The ways of black people are not as the ways of white
men, Incubu, nor do we hold life so high as ye. Yet will
I promise it. If it be in my power to hold them back, the
witch-finders shall hunt no more, nor shall any man die
the death without judgment."

" That's a bargain, then," said Sir Henry ; " and now let
us get a little rest."

Thoroughly wearied out, we were soon sound asleep,
and slept till Ignosi woke us about eleven o'clock. Then
we got up, washed, and ate a hearty breakfast, not know-
ing when we should get any more food. After that we
went outside the hut and stared at the sun, which we were

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150 KING SOLOMON S MINES.

distressed to observe presented a remarkably healthy ap-
pearance, without a sign of an eclipse anywhere about it.

" I hope it will come off," said Sir Henry, doubtfully.
"False prophets often find themselves in painful posi-
tions."

" If it does not, it will soon be up with us," I answered,
mournfully ; " for so sure as we are living men, some of
those chiefs will tell the whole story to the king, and then
there will be another sort of eclipse, and one that we shall
not like."

Returning to the hut, we dressed ourselves, putting on
the mail shirts which the king had sent us as before.
Scarcely had we done so when a messenger came from
Twala to bid us to the great annual "dance of girls"
which was about to be celebrated.

Taking our rifles and ammunition with us so as to have
them handy in case we had to fly, as suggested by Infa-
doos, we started boldly enough, though with inward fear
and trembling. The great space in front of the king's
kraal presented a very different appearance from what it
had done on the previous evening. In the place of the
grim ranks of serried warriors were company after com-
pany of Kukuana girls, not overdressed, so far as clothing
went, but each crowned with a wreath of flowers, and
holding a palm leaf in one hand and a tall white lily (the
arum) in the other. In the centre of the open space sat
Twala, the king, with old Gagool at his feet, attended by
Fnfadoos, the boy Scragga, and about a dozen guards.
There were also present about a score of chiefs, among
whom I recognized most of our friends of the night before.

Twala greeted us with much apparent cordiality, though
I saw him fix his one eye viciously on Umbopa.

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KING Solomon's mines. 151

" Welcome, white men from the stars," he said; "this
is a different sight from what your eyes gazed on by the
light of last night's moon, but it is not so good a sight.
Girls are pleasant, and were it not for such as these " (and
he pointed round him) " we should none of us be here to-
day; but men are better. Kissed and the tender words
of women are sweet, but the sound of the clashing of
men's spears, and the smell of men's blood, are sweeter
far ! Would ye have wives from among our people, white
men ? K so, choose the fairest here, and ye shall have
them, as many as ye will;" and he paused for an answer.

As the prospect did not seem to be without attractions
to Good, who was, like most sailors, of a susceptible nat-
ure, I, being elderly and wise, and foreseeing the endless
complications that anything of the sort would involve
(for women bring trouble as surely as the night follows
the day), put in a hasty answer :

" Thanks, O king, but we white men wed only with
white women like ourselves. Your maidens are fair, but
they are not for us !"

The king laughed. " It is well. In our land there is a
proverb which says, " Woman's eyes are always bright,
whatever the color,' and another which says, * Love her
who is present, for be sure she who is absent is false to
thee;' but perhaps these things are not so in the stars. In
a land where men are white all things are possible. So
be it, white men; the girls will not go begging 1 Wel-
come again; and welcome, too, thou black one; if Gagool
here had had her way thou wouldst have been stiff and
cold now. It is lucky that thou, too, camest from the
stars; ha ! ha !"

'^I can kill thee before thou killest me, O king," was

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152 KING Solomon's mines.

Ignosi's calm answer, "and thou shalt be stiff before my
limbs cease to bend."

Twala started. " Thou speakest boldly, boy," he re-
plied, angrily; "presume not too far."

" He may well be bold in whose lips are truth. The
truth is a sharp spear which flies home and fails not. It
is a message from * the stars,' O king I"

Twala scowled, and his one eye gleamed fiercely, but he
said nothing more.

" Let the dance begin," he cried, and next second the
flower-crowned girls sprang forward in companies, sing-
ing a sweet song and waving the delicate palms and white
flowers. On they danced, now whirling round and round,
now meeting in mimic warfare, swaying, eddying here
and there, coming forward, falling back in an ordered con-
fusion delightful to witness. At last they paused, and a
beautiful young woman sprang out of the ranks and be-
gan to pirouette in front of us with a grace and vigor
which would have put most ballet -girls to shame. At
length she fell back exhausted, and another took her place,
then another and another, but none of them, either in
grace, skill, or personal attractions, came up to the first.

At length the king lifted his hand.

" Which think ye the fairest, white men ?" he asked.

"The first," said I, unthinkingly. Next second I re-
gretted it, for I remembered that Infadoos had said that
the fairest woman was offered as a sacrifice.

" Then is my mind as your minds, and my eyes as your
eyes. She is the fairest; and a sorry thing it is for her,
for she must die !"

"^y, mitst dieP^ piped out Gagool, casting a glance
from her quick eyes in the direction of the poor girl, who,

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KINO Solomon's mines. 153

as yet ignorant of the awful fate in store for her, was
standing some twenty yards off in front of a company of
girls, engaged in nervously picking a flower from her
wreath to pieces, petal by petal.

"Why, O king?" said I, restraining my indignation
with difficulty; "the girl has danced well and pleased us;
she • is fair, too ; it would be hard to reward her with
death."

Twala laughed as he answered:

" It is our custom, and the figures who sit in stone yon-
der" (and he pointed towards the three distant peaks)
" must have their due. Did I fail to ptit the fairest girl
to death to-day misfortune would fall upon me and my
house. Thus runs the prophecy of my people: "K the
king offer not a sacrifice of a fair girl on the day of the
dance of maidens to the old ones who sit and watch on the
mountains, then shall he fall and his house.' Look ye,
white men, my brother who reigned before me offered
not the sacrifice, because of the tears of the woman, and
he fell, and his house, and I reign in his stead. It is fin-
ished ; she must die !" Then, turning to the guards —
*' Bring her hither; Scragga, make sharp thy spear."

Two of the men stepped forward, and as they did so
the girl, for the first time realizing her impending fate,
screamed aloud and turned to fly. But the strong hands
caught her fast, and brought her, struggling and weeping,
up before us.

"What is thy name, girl?" piped Qagool. "What I
wilt thou not answer; shall the kmg's son do his work at
once ?"

At this hint Scragga, looking more evil than ever, ad-
vanced a step and lifted his great spear, and as he did so

* o ^ DigrtizedbyA-

154 KING Solomon's mines.

I saw Good's hand creep to his revolver. The poor girl
caught the glint of the cold steel through her tears, and
it sobered her anguish. She ceased struggling, but merely
clasped her hands convulsively, and stood shuddering
from head to foot.

" See," cried Scragga, in high glee, " she shrinks from
the sight of my little plaything even before she has tasted
it," and he tapped the broad blade of the spear.

" If I ever get the chance, you shall pay for that, you
young hound !" I heard Good mutter beneath his breath.

" Now that thou art quiet, give us thy name, my dear.
Come, speak up, and fear not," said Gagool in' mockery.

" Oh, mother," answered the girl in trembling accents,
" my name is Foulata, of the house of Suko. Oh, mother,
why must I die ? I have done no wrong !"

" Be comforted," went on the old woman, in her hate-
ful tone of mockery. " Thou must die, indeed, as a sacri-
fice to the old ones who sit yonder " (and she pointed to
the peaks) ; ^^ but it is better to sleep in the night than to
toil in the day-time; it is better to die than to live, and
thou shalt die by the royal hand of the king's own son."

The girl Foulata wrung her hands in anguish, and cried
out aloud : " Oh, cruel; and I so young 1 What have I
done that I should never again see the sun rise out of the
night, or the stars come following on his track in the even-
ing: that I should no more gather the flowers when the
dew is heavy, or listen to the laughing of the waters 1
Woe is me, that I shall never see my father's hut again,
nor feel my mother's kiss, nor tend the kid that is sick I
Woe is me, that no lover shall put his arm around me and
look into my eyes, nor shall men-children be bom of met
Oh, cruel, cruel !" and again she wrung her hands and

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KING Solomon's mikbs. 155

turned her tear-stained, flower - crowned face to heaven,
looking so lovely in her despair — for she was indeed a
beautiful woman — that it would assuredly have melted
the hearts of any one less cruel than the three fiends be-
fore us. Prince Arthur's appeal to the ruffians who came
to blind him was not more touching than this savage
girl's.

But it did not move Gagool or Gagool's master, though
I saw signs of pity among the guard behind and on the
faces of the chiefs; and as for Good, he gave a sort of
snort of indignation, and made a motion as though to go
to her. With all a woman's quickness, the doomed girl
interpreted what was passing in his mind, and with a sud-
den movement flung herself before him, and clasped his
" beautiful white legs " with her hands.

" Oh, white father from the stars I" she cried, " throw
over me the mantle of thy protection ; let me creep into
the shadow of thy strength, that I may be saved. Oh,
keep me from these cruel men and from the mercies of
Gagool 1"

"All right, my hearty, I'll look after you," sang out
Gk)od, in nervous Saxon. " Come, get up, there's a good
girl," and he stooped and caught her hand.

Twala turned and motioned to his son, who advanced
with his spear lifted.

" Now's your time," whispered Sir Henry to me; " what
are you waiting for ?"

"I am waiting for the eclipse," I answered; "I have
had my eye on the sun for the last half -hour, and I never
saw it look healthier."

** Well, you must risk it now or the girl will be killed.
Twala is losing patience." ,^^,^^, by Google

166

Recognizing the force of the argument, having cast
one more despairing look at the bright face of the sun,
for never did the most ardent astronomer with a theory
to prove await a celestial event with such anxiety, I
stepped, with all the dignity I could command, between
the prostrate girl and the advancing spear of Scragga.

^' King/' I said; '^ this shall not be; we will not tolerate
such a thing; let the girl go in safety."

Twala rose from his seat in his wrath and astonishment,
and from the chiefs and serried ranks of girls, who had
slowly closed in upon us in anticipation of the tragedy,
came a murmur of amazement.

^^ Shall not be, thou white dog, who yaps at the lion in
his cave ; shall not be I Art thou mad ? Be careful lest
this chicken's fate overtake thee and those with thee.
How canst thou prevent it ? Who art thou, that thou
standest between me and my will ? Withdraw, I say.
Scragga, kill her. Ho, guards ! seize these men.**

At his cry armed men came running swiftly from be-
hind the hut, where they had evidently been placed be-
forehand.

Sir Henry, Qood, and XJmbopa ranged themselves along-
side of me and lifted their rifles.

" Stop I" I shouted, boldly, though at the moment my
heart was in my boots. ^^ Stop ! we, the white men from
the stars, say that it shall not be. Come but one pace
nearer and we will put out the sun and plunge the land in
darkness. Ye shall taste of our magic.*'

My threat produced an effect ; the men halted, and
Scragga stood still before us, his spear lifted.

"Hear him! hear him!" piped Gagool; "hear the liar
who says he will put out the sun like a lamp. Let him do

Kma SOLOMON^S MINBS. 157

it and the girl shall be spared. Yes, let him do it, or die
with the girl, he and those with him."

I glanced up at the sun, and, to my intense joy and re-
lief, saw that we had made no mistake. On the edge of
its brilliant surface was a faint rim of shadow.

I lifted my hand solenmly towards the sky, an example
which Sir Henry and Good followed, and quoted a line or
two of the "Ingoldsby Legends" at it in the most im-
pressive tones I could command. Sir Henry followed suit
with a verse out of the Old Testament, while Good ad-
dressed the king of day in a volume of the most classical
bad language that he could think of.

Slowly the dark rim crept on over the blazing surface,
and as it did so I heard a deep gasp of fear rise from the
multitude around.

^* Look, O king ! look, Gagool ! Look, chiefs and peo-
ple and women, and see if the white men from the stars
keep their word, or if they be but empty liars I

" The sun grows dark before your eyes; soon there will
be night — ay, night in the noon-time. Ye have asked for
a sign; it is given to ye. Grow dark, O sun! withdraw
thy light, thou bright one; bring the proud heart to the
dust, and eat up the world with shadows."

A groan of terror rose from the onlookers. Some stood
petrified with fear, others threw themselves upon their
knees and cried out. As for the king, he sat still and
turned pale beneath his dusky skin. Only Gagool kept
her courage.

"It will pass," she cried; "I have seen the like before;
no man can put out the sun; lose not heart; sit still — the
shadow will pass."

" Wait, and ye shall see," I replied, hopping with -ex-
citement.

158 KINO BOLOMON's mines.

" Keep it up, Good; I can't remember any more poetry.
Curse away, there's a good fellow."

Good responded nobly to the tax upon his inventive
faculties. Never before had I the faintest conception of
the breadth and depth and height of a naval officer's ob-
jurgatory powers. For ten minutes he went on without
stopping, and he scarcely ever repeated himself.

Meanwhile the dark ring crept on. Strange and unholy
shadows encroached upon the sunlight, an ominous quiet
filled the place, the birds chirped out frightened notes and
tben were still; only the cocks began to crow.

On, yet on, crept the ring of darkness; it was now more
than half over the reddening orb. The air grew thick
and dusky. On, yet on, till we could scarcely see the fierce
faces of the group before us. No sound now rose from
the spectators, and Good stopped swearing.

" The sun is dying — the wizards have killed the sun,"
yelled out the boy Scragga at last. " We shall all die in
the dark," and, animated by fear or fury, or both, he lift-
ed his spear and drove it with all his force at Sir Henry's
broad chest. But he had forgotten the mail shirts that
the king had given us, and whicb we wore beneath our
clothing. The steel rebounded harmless, and before he
could repeat the blow Sir Henry had snatched the spear
from his hand and sent it straight through him. He
dropped dead.

At the sight, and driven mad with fear at the gathering
gloom, the companies of girls broke up in wild confusion
and ran screeching for the gateways. Nor did the panic
stop there. The king himself, followed by the guards,
some of the chiefs, and Gagool, who hobbled away after
them with marvellous alacrity, fled for the huts, so that

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KING Solomon's mines. 169

in another minute or so ourselves, the would-be victim,
Foulata, Infadoos, and some of the chiefs who had inter-
viewed us on the previous night, were left alone upon the
scene with the dead body of Scragga.

" Now, chiefs," I said, " we have given you the sign.
If ye are satisfied, let us fly swiftly to the place ye spoke
of. The charm cannot now be stopped. It will work for
an hour. Let us take advantage of the darkness."

" Come," said Inf adoos, turning to go, an example which
was followed by the awed chiefs, ourselves, and the girl
Foulata, whom Good took by the hand.

Before we reached the gate of the kraal the sun went
out altogether.

Holding each other by the hand we stumbled on through
the darkness.

Digitized

by Google

CHAPTER Xn.

BBFOBB THE BATTLE.

Luckily for us, Infadoos and the chiefs knew all the
pathways of the great town perfectly, so that, notwith-
standing the intense gloom, we made fair progress.

For an hour or more we journeyed on, till at length the
eclipse began to pass, and that edge of the sun which had
disappeared the first became again visible. In another
five minutes there was sufficient light to see our where-
abouts, and we then discovered that we were clear of the
town of Loo, and approaching a large, flat - topped hill,
measuring some two miles in circumference. This hill,
which was of a formation very common in Southern Afri-
ca, was not very high; indeed, its greatest elevation was
not more than two hundred feet, but it was shaped like a
horseshoe, and its sides were rather precipitous and strewn
with boulders. On the grass table-land at the top was
ample camping-ground, which had been utilized as a mili-
tary cantonment of no mean strength. Its ordinary gar-
rison was one regiment of three thousand men, but as we
toiled up the steep side of the hill in the returning day-
light we perceived that there were many more warriors
than that upon it.

Reaching the table-land at last, we found crowds of
men huddled together in the utmost consternation at the
natural phenomenon which they were witnessing.- Passing
through these without a word, we gained a hut in the cen-

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KING Solomon's mines. 161

tre of the ground, where we were astonished to find two
men waiting, laden with our few goods and chattels,
which, of course, we had been obliged to leave behind in
our hasty flight.

" I sent for them," explained Infadoos; " also for these,"
and he lifted up Good's long-lost trousers.

With an exclamation of rapturous delight Good sprang
at them, and instantly proceeded to put them on.

"Surely my lord will not hide his beautiful white legs !"
exclaimed Infadoos, regretfully.

But Good persisted, and once only did the Kukuana
people get the chance of seeing his beautiful legs again.
Good is a very modest man. Henceforward they had to
satisfy their aesthetic longings with one whisker, his trans-
parent eye, and his movable teeth.

Still gazing with fond remembrance at Good's trousers,
Infadoos next informed us that he had summoned the regi-
ments to explain to them fully the rebellion which was
decided on by the chiefs, and to introduce to them the
rightful heir to the throne, Ignosl

In half an hour the troops, in all nearly twenty thou-
sand men, constituting the flower of the Kukuana army,
were mustered on a large, open space, to which we pro-
ceeded. The men were drawn up in three sides of a dense
square,, and presented a magnificent spectacle. We took
our station on the open side of the square, and were speed-
ily surrounded by all the principal chiefs and of&cers.

These, after silence had been proclaimed, Infadoos pro-
ceeded to address. He narrated to them in vigorous and
graceful language — for, like most Kukuanas of high rank,
he was a bom orator — ^the history of Ignosi's father, how
he had been basely murdered by Twala, the king, and his

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162 KING Solomon's minks.

wife and child driven out to starve. Then he pointed out
how the land suffered and groaned under Twala's cruel
ride, instancing the proceedings of the previous night,
when, under pretence of their heing evil-doers, many of
the nohlest in the land had heen hauled forth and cruelly
done to death. Next he went on to say that the white
lords from the stars, looking down on the land, had per-
ceived its trouble, and determined, at great personal in-
convenience, to alleviate its lot; how they had accordingly
taken the real king of the country, Ignosi, who was lan-
guishing in exile, by the hand and led him over the moun-
tains; how they had seen the wickedness of Twala's do-
ings, and for a sign to the wavering, and to save the life
of the girl Foulata, had actually, by the exercise of their
high magic, put out the sun and slain the young fiend,
Scragga; and how they were prepared to stand by them,
and assist them to overthrow Twala, and set up the right-
ful king, Ignosi, in his place.

' He finished his discourse amid a murmur of approba-
tion, and then Ignosi stepped forward and began to speak.
Having reiterated all that Inf adoos, his uncle, had said, he
concluded a powerful speech in these words:

" O chiefs, captains, soldiers, and people, ye have heard
my words. Now must ye make choice between me and
him who sits upon my throne, the uncle who killed his
brother, and hunted his brother's child forth to die in the
cold and the night. That I am indeed the king these " —
pointing to the chiefs — " can tell ye, for they have seen
the snake about my middle. If I were not the king, would
these white men be on my side, with all their magic? Trem-
ble, chiefs, captains, soldiers, and people! Is not the dark-
ness they have brought upon the land to confound Twala,
and cover our flight, yet before your eyes ?'edbyGooQle

KING SOLOMON'S MINES. 163

" It is," answered the soldiers.

"I am the king; I say to ye, I am the king,*' went on
Ignosi, drawing up his great stature to its full, and lifting
his broad-bladed battle-axe above his head. " If there be
any man among ye who says that it is not so, let him
stand forth, and I will fight him now, and his blood shall
be a red token that I tell ye true. Let him stand forth, I
say;" and he shook the great axe till it flashed in the sun-
light.

As nobody seemed inclined to respond to this heroic
version of " Dilly, Dilly, come and be killed," our late
henchman proceeded with his address.

" I am indeed the king, and if ye do stand by my side
in the battle, if I win the day ye shall go with me to vic-
tory and honor. I will give ye oxen and wives, and ye
shall take place of all the regiments; and if ye fall I will
fall with ye.

" And behold, this promise do I give ye, that when I sit
upon the seat of my fathers, bloodshed shall cease in the
land. No longer shall ye cry for justice to find slaughter,
no longer shall the witch-finder hunt ye out so that ye be
slain without a cause. No man shall die save he who of-
f endeth against the laws. The * eating up ' of your kraals
shall cease; each shall sleep secure in his own hut and fear
not, and justice shall walk blind throughout the land. Have
ye chosen, chiefs, captains, soldiers, and people ?"

" We have chosen, O king," came back the answer.

" It is well. Turn your heads and see how Twala's
messengers go forth from the great town, east and west,
and north and south, to gather a mighty army to slay me
and ye, and these my friends and my protectors. To-mor-
row, or perchance the next day, will he come with all who

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164 KING Solomon's mines.

are faithful to him. Then shall I see the man who is in-
deed my man, the man who fears not to die for his cause;
and I tell ye he shall not be forgotten in the time of spoil
I have spoken, O chiefs, captains, soldiers, and people.
Now go to your huts and make you ready for war."

There was a pause, and then one of the chiefs lifted
his hand, and out rolled the royal salute, " Koom, /" It
was a sign that the regiments accepted Ignosi as their
king. Then they marched off in battalions.

Half an hour afterwards we held a council of war, at
which all the commanders of regiments were present. It
was evident to us that before very long we should be at-
tacked in overwhelming force. Indeed, from our point of
vantage on the hill we could see troops mustering, and
messengers going forth from Loo in every direction, doubt-
less to summon regiments to the king's assistance. We
had on our side about twenty thousand men, composed of
seven of the best regiments in the country. Twala had,
so Infadoos and the chiefs calculated, at least thirty to
thirty-five thousand on whom he could rely at present
assembled in Loo, and they thought that by midday on the
morrow he would be able to gather another five thousand
or more to his aid. It was, of course, possible that some
of his troops would desert and come over to us, but it was
not a contingency that could be reckoned on. Meanwhile,
it was clear that active preparations were being made to
subdue us. Already strong bodies of armed men were
patrolling round and round the foot of the hill, and there
were other signs of a coming attack.

Infadoos and the chiefs, however, were of opinion that
no attack would take place that night, which would be
devoted to preparation and to the removal by every possi-

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KING SOLOMOK'S mines. 165

ble means of the moral effect produced upon the minds of
the soldiery by the supposed magical darkening of the sun.
The attack would be on the morrow, they said, and they
proved to be right.

Meanwhile, we set to work to strengthen the position as
much a^ possible. Nearly the entire force was turned out,
and in the two hours which yet remained to sundown won-
ders were done. The paths up the hill — which was rather
a sanitarium than a fortress, being used generally as the
camping-place of regiments suffering from recent service in
unhealthy portions of the country — were carefully blocked
with masses of stones, and every other possible approach
was made as impregnable as time would allow. Piles of
boulders were collected at various spots to be rolled down
upon an advancing enemy, stations were appointed to the
different regiments, and every other preparation which our
joint ingenuity could suggest was taken.

Just before sundown we perceived a small company of
men advancing towards us from the direction of Loo, one
of whom bore a palm leaf in his hand as a sign that he
came as a herald.

As he came, Ignosi, Infadoos, one or two chiefs, and
ourselves went down to the foot of the mountain to meet
him. He was a gallant-looking fellow, with the regulation
leopard-skin cloak.

"Greeting!" he cried, as he came near; "the king's
greeting to those who make unholy war against the king;
the lion's greeting to the jackals who snarl around his
heels."

"Speak," I said.

" These are the king's words. Surrender to the king's
mercy ere a worse thing befall ye. Already the shoulder

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166 KING Solomon's mines.

has been torn from the black bull, and the king drives him
bleeding about the camp." *

"What are Twala's terms?" I asked, for curiosity.

" His terms are merciful, worthy of a great king. These
are the words of Twala, the one-eyed, the mighty, the hus-
band of a thousand wives, lord of the Kukuanas, keeper of
the great road (Solomon's Road), beloved of the strange
ones who sit in silence at the mountains yonder (the Three
Witches), calf of the black cow, elephant whose tread
shakes the earth, terror of the evil-doer, ostrich whose feet
devour the desert, huge one, black one, wise one, king from
generation to generation! these are the words of Tws^la:
* I will have mercy and be satisfied with a little blood.
One in every ten shall die, the rest shall go free; but
the white man Incubu, who slew Scragga, my son, and
Infadoos, my brother, who brews rebellion agaiii.r^t me,
these shall die by torture as an offering to the silent ones.'
Such are the merciful words of Twala."

After consulting with the others a little I answered him
in a loud voice, so that the soldiers might hear, thus :

" Go back, thou dog, to Twala, who sent thee, and say
that we, Ignosi, veritable king of the Kukuanas, Incubu,
Bougwan, and Macumazahn, the wise white ones from the
stars who make dark the sun, Infadoos, of the royal house,
and the chiefs, captains, and people here gathered, make
answer and say, ' That we will not surrender; that before
the sun has twice gone down Twala's corpse shall stiffen
at Twala's gate, and Ignosi, whose father Twala slew, shall

* This cruel custom is not confined to the Kukuanas, but is by no means
uncommon among African tribes on the occasion of the outbreak of war
or any other important public event. — A. Q.

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KING Solomon's mines. 167

reign in his stead.' Now go, ere we whip thee away, and
beware how ye lift a hand against such as we."

The herald laughed loud " Ye frighten not men with
such swelling words," he cried out. " Show yourselves as
bold to-morrow, O ye who darken the sun. Be bold, fight,
and be merry, before the crows pick your bones till they
are whiter than your faces. Farewell; perhaps we may
meet in the fight; wait for me, I pray, white men." And
with this shaft of sarcasm he retired, and almost immedi-
ately the sun sank.

That night was a busy one for us, for, as far as was pos-
sible by the moonlight, all preparations for the morrow's
fight were continued. Messengers were constantly coming
and going from the place where we sat in council. At
last, about an hour after midnight, everything that could
be done was done, and the camp, save for the occasional
challenge of a sentry, sank into sleep. Sir Henry and I,
accompanied by Ignosi and onfe of the chiefs, descended
the hill and made the round of the vedettes. As we
went, suddenly, from all sorts of unexpected places, spears
gleamed out in the moonlight, only to vanish again as we
uttered the password. It was clear to us that none were
sleeping at their posts. Then we returned, picking our
way through thousands of sleeping warriors, many of
whom were taking their last earthly rest.

The moonlight flickered along their spears, and played
upon their features and made them ghastly; the chilly
night wind tossed their tall and he arselike plumes. There
they lay in wild confusion, with arms outstretched and
twisted limbs; their stem, stalwart forms looking weird
and unhuman in the moonlight.

" How many of these do you suppose will be alive at
this time to-morrow?" asked Sir Henry^gii^ed by Google

168

I shook my head and looked again at the sleeping men,
and to my tired and yet excited imagination it seemed as
though death had already touched them. My mind's eye
singled out those who were sealed to slaughter, and there
rushed in upon my heart a great sense of the mystery of
human life, and an overwhelming sorrow at its futility and
sadness. To-night these thousands slept their healthy
sleep; to-morrow they, and many others with them, our-
selves perhaps among them, would be stiffening in the cold;
their wives would be widows, their children fatherless, and
their place know them no more forever. Only the old moon
would shine serenely on, the night wind would stir the
grasses, and the wide earth would take its happy rest, even
as it did aeons before these were, and will do aeons after
they have been forgotten.

Yet man dies not while the world, at once his mother
and his monument, remains. His name is forgotten, in-
deed, but the breath he breathed yet stirs the pine-tops on
the mountains, the sound of the words he spoke yet echoes
on through space ; the thoughts his brain gave birth to
we have inherited to-day; his passions are our cause of
life; the joys and sorrows that he felt are our familiar
friends — the end from which he fled aghast will surely
overtake us also.

Truly the universe is full of ghosts; not sheeted, church-
yard spectres, but the inextinguishable and immortal ele-
ments of life, which, having once been, can never die^
though they blend and change and change again for-
ever.

All sorts of reflections of this sort passed through my
mind — ^f or as I get older I regret to say that a detestable
habit of thinking seems to be getting a hold <^mfr^while

RING Solomon's mines. 169

I stood and stared at those grim yet fantastic lines of war-
riors sleeping, as their saying goes, " upon their spears."

" Curtis," I said to Sir Henry, " I am in a condition of
pitiable funk."

Sir Henry stroked his yellow beard and laughed, as he
answered :

" I've heard you make that sort of remark before,
Quatermain."

"Well, I mean it now. Do you know, I very much
doubt if one of us will be alive to-morrow night. We
shall be attacked in overwhelming force, and it is exceed-
ingly doubtful if we can hold this place."

" We'll give a good account of some of them, at any
rate. Look here, Qualtermain, the business is a nasty one,
and one with which, properly speaking, we ought not to be
mixed up ; but we are in for it, so we must make the best
of it. Speaking personally, I had rather be killed fight-
ing than any other way, and now that there seems little
chance of finding my poor brother, it makes the idea easier
to me. But fortune favors the brave, and we may suc-
ceed. Anyway, the slaughter will be awful, and as we
have a reputation to keep up, we shall have to be in the
thick of it."

Sir Henry made this last remark in a mournful voice,
but there was a gleam in his eye which belied it. I have
a sort of idea that Sir Henry Curtis actually likes fight-
ing.

After this we went and slept for a couple of hours.

Just about dawn we were awakened by Infadoos, who
came to say that great activity was to be observed in Loo,
and that parties of the king's skirmishers were driving in
our vedettes. ^ ,

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170 KING Solomon's mines.

We got up and dressed ourselves for the fray, each put-
ting on his chain-armor shirt, for which at the present
juncture we felt exceedingly thankful. Sir Henry went
the whole length about the matter, and dressed himself
like a native warrior. " When you are in Kukuanaland,
do as the Kukuanas do," he remarked, as he drew the shin-
ing steel over his broad shoulders, which it fitted like a
glove. Nor did he stop there. At his request, Infadoos
had provided him with a complete set of war uniform.
Round his throat he fastened the leopard-skin cloak of a
commanding officer, on his brows he bound the plume of
black ostrich feathers worn only by generals of high rank,
and round his centre a magnificent moocha of white ox-
tails. A pair of sandals, a leglet of goat's hair, a heavy
battle-axe with a rhinoceros-horn handle, a round iron
shield covered with white ox-hide, and the regulation
number of toll as, or thro wing-knives, made up his equip-
ment, to which, however, he added his revolver. The dress
was, no doubt, a savage one ; but I am bound to say I
never saw a finer sight than Sir Henry Curtis presented in
this guise. It showed off his magnificent physique to the
greatest advantage, and when Ignosi arrived, presently, ar-
rayed in similar costume, I thought to myself that I never
before saw two such splendid men. As for Good and my-
self, the chain armor did not suit us nearly so well. To
begin with. Good insisted upon keeping on his trousers,
and a stout, short gentleman with an eye-glass, and one
half of his face shaved, arrayed in a mail shirt carefully
tucked into a very seedy pair of corduroys, looks more
striking than imposing. As for myself, my chain shirt
being too big for me, I put it on over all my clothes,
which caused it to bulge out in a somewhat, ungainly

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KING Solomon's mines. 171

fashion. I discarded my trousers, however, determined to
go into battle with bare legs, in order to be the lighter in
case it became necessary to retire quickly, retaining only
my veldtschoons. This, a spear, a shield, which I did not
know how to use, a couple of tollas, a revolver, and a huge
plume, which I pinned into the top of my shooting-hat in
order to give a bloodthirsty finish to my appearance, com-
pleted my modest equipment. In addition to all these ar-
ticles, of course we had our rifles, but as ammunition was
scarce, and they would be useless in case of a charge, we
bad arranged to have them carried behind us by bearers.

As soon as we had equipped ourselves we hastily swal-
lowed some food, and then started out to see how things
were progressing. At one point in the table-land of the
mountain there was a little koppie of brown stone, which
served for the double purpose of headquarters and a con-
ning tower. Here we found Infadoos surrounded by his
own regiment, the Grays, which was undoubtedly the
finest in the Kukuana army, and the same which we had
first seen at the outlying kraal. This regiment, now three
thousand five hundred strong, was being held in reserve,
and the men were lying down on the grass in companies,
and watching the king's forces creep out of Loo in long,
ant-like columns. There seemed to be no end to those
columns — three in all, and each numbering at least eleven
or twelve thousand men.

As soon as they were clear of the town, they formed up.
Then one body marched off to the right, one to the left,
and the third came slowly on towards us.

" Ah," said Infadoos, " they are going to attack us on
three sides at once."

This was rather serious news, for as our position on the

172 KING Solomon's minbs.

top of the mountain, which was at least a mile and a haU
in circumference, was an extended one, it was important
to us to concentrate our comparatively small defending
force as much as possible. But, as it was impossible for us
to dictate in what way we should be attacked, we had to
make the best of it, and accordingly sent orders to the
various regiments to prepare to receive the separate on-
slaughts.

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CHAPTER Xm.

THE ATTACK.

Slowly, and without the slightest appearance of haste
or excitement, the three columns crept on. When within
about five hundred yards of us, the main or centre column
halted at the root of a tongue of open plain which ran up
into the hill, to enable the other two to circumvent our
position, which was shaped more or less in the form of a
horseshoe, the two points being towards the town of Loo,
their object being, no doubt, that the threefold assault
should be delivered simultaneously.

" Oh, for a gatling !" groaned Good, as he contemplated
the serried phalanxes beneath us. '^I would clear the
plain in twenty minutes."

"We have not got one, so it is no use yearning for it;
but suppose you try a shot, Quatermain. See how near
you can go to that tall fellow who appears to be in com-
mand. Two to one you miss him, and an even sovereign,
to be honestly paid if ever we get out of this, that you
don't drop the ball within ten yards."

This piqued me, so, loading the express with solid ball,
I waited till my friend walked some ten yards out from
his force, in order to get a better view of our position, ac-
companied only by an orderly, and then lying down and
resting the express upon a rock^I covered him. The rifle, ><
like all expresses, was only sighted to three hundred and
fifty yards, so, to allow for the drop in trajectory, I took

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174 KING Solomon's mines.

him half-way down the neck, which ought, I calculated, to
find him in the chest. He stood quite still and gave me
every opportunity, but whether it was the excitement or
the wind, or the fact of the man being a long shot, I don't
know, but this was what happened. Getting dead on, as
I thought, a fine sight, I pressed, and when the puff of
smoke had cleared away I, to my disgust, saw my man
standing unharmed, while his orderly, who was at least
three paces to the left, was stretched upon the ground, ap-
parently dead. Turning swiftly, the officer I had aimed
at began to run towards his force, in evident alarm.

" Bravo, Quatermain !" sang out Good ; " you've fright-
ened him."

This made me very angry, for if possible to avoid it, I
hate to miss in public. When one can only do one thing
well, one likes to keep up one's reputation in that thing.
Moved quite out of myself at my failure, I did a rash
thing. Rapidly covering the general as he ran, I let drive
with the second barrel. The poor man threw up his arms
and fell forward on his face. This time I had made no
mistake; and — I say it as a proof of how little we think of
others when our own pride or reputation are in question
— I was brute enough to feel delighted at the sight.

The regiments who had seen the feat cheered wildly at
this exhibition of the white man's magic, which they took
as an omen of success, while the force to which the gen-
eral had belonged — which, indeed, as we afterwards ascer-
tained, he had commanded — ^began to fall back in confu-
sion. Sir Henry and Good now took up their rifles arid
began to fire, the latter industriously " browning " the
dense mass before him with a Winchester repeater, and I
also had another shot or two, with the result that, so far

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KING Solomon's mines. 176

as we could judge, we put some eight or ten men hors de
combat before they got out of range.

Just as we stopped firing there came an ominous roar
from our far right, then a similar roar from our left. The
two other divisions were engaging us.

At the sound the mass of men before us opened out a
little, and came on towards the hill up the spit of bare
grass-land at a slow trot, singing a deep-throated song as
they advanced. We kept up a steady fire from our rifles
as they came, Ignosi joining in occasionally, and accounted
for several men, but of course produced no more effect
upon that mighty rush of armed humanity than he who
throws pebbles does on the advancing wave.

On they came, with a shout and the clashing of spears;
now they were driving in the outposts we had placed
among the rocks at the foot of the hill. After that the
advance was a little slower, for though as yet we had of-
fered no serious opposition, the attacking force had to
come up hill, and came slowly to save their breach. Our
first line of defence was about half-way up the side, our
second fifty yards farther back, while our third occupied
the edge of the plain.

On they came, shouting their war-cry, " TwcUa! Taodlal
Chielif ChieliP' (Twala! Twala! Smite! smite!).
^^ Ignosi/ Ignosi/ C/iidi/ Chieli/^^ answered our peo-
ple. They were quite close now, and the toUas, or throw-
ing-knives, began to flash backward and forward, and now
with an awful yell the battle closed in.

To and fro swayed the mass of struggling warriors, men
falling thick as leaves in an autumn wind; but before
long the superior weight of the attacking force began to
tell, and our first line of defence was slowly pressed back,

176

till it merged into the second. Here the struggle was very
fierce, but again our people were driven back and up, till
at length, within twenty minutes of the commencement of
the fight, our third line came into action.

But by this time the assailants were much exhausted,
and had, besides, lost many men killed and wounded, and to
break through that third impenetrable hedge of spears
proved beyond their powers. For a while the dense mass
of struggling warriors swung backward and forward in
the fierce ebb and flow of battle, and the issue was doubt-
ful. Sir Henry watched the desperate struggle with a
kindling eye, and then without a word he rushed off, fol-
lowed by Good, and flung himself into the hottest of the
fray. As for myself, I stopped where I was.

The soldiers caught sight of his tall form as he plunged
into the battle, and there rose a cry of —

''Na?izia IncubuP' (Here is the Elephant !) " Chidi/
Chielir

From that moment the issue was no longer in doubt.
Inch by inch, fighting with desperate gallantry, the attack-
ing force was pressed back down the hillside, till at last it
retreated upon its reserves in something like confusion.
At that moment, too, a messenger arrived to say that the
left attack had been repulsed, and I was just beginning
to congratulate myself that the affair was over for the
present, when, to our horror, we perceived our men who
had been engaged in the right defence being driven tow-
ards us across the plain, followed by swarms of the^nemy,
who had evidently succeeded at this point.

Ignosi, who was standing by me, took in the situation
at a glance, and issued a rapid order. Instantly the re-
sttrve ]?egiment round us (the Orays) extended itself.

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XING Solomon's mikbs. 177

Again Ignosi gave a word of command, which was taken
up and repeated by the captains, and in another second,
to my intense disgust, I found myself involved in a furious
onslaught upon the advancing foe. Getting as much as I
could behind Ignosi's huge frame, I made the best of a bad
job, and toddled along to be killed, as though I liked it.
In a minute or two — the time seemed all too short to me —
we were plunging through the flying groups of our men,
who at once began to re-form behind us, and then I am
sure I do not know what happened. All I can remember
is a dreadful rolling noise of the meeting of shields, and
the sudden apparition of a huge ruffian, whose eyes seemed
literally to be starting out of his head, making straight at
me with a bloody spear. But — ^I say it with pride — I rose
to the occasion. It was an occasion before which most
people would have collapsed once and for all. Seeing
that if I stood where I was I must be done for, I, as the
horrid apparition came, flung myself down in front of him
so cleverly that, being unable to stop himself, he took a
header right over my prostrate form. Before he could
rise again I had risen and settled the matter from behind
with my revolver.

Shortly after this somebody knocked me down, and I
remember no more of the charge.

When I came to I found myself back at the koppie,
with Good bending over me with some water in a gourd.

"How do you feel, old fellow?" he asked, anxiously.

I got up and shook myself before answering,

" Pretty well, thank you," I answered.

" Thank Heaven ! when I saw them carry you in I felt
quite sick; I thought you were done for."

" Not this time, my boy. I fancy I only got a rap on
12

1V8 KING SOLOMOJS'S MINES.

the head, which knocked me out of time. How has it
ended?"

" They are repulsed at every point for the time. The
loss is dreadfully heavy; we have lost quite two thousand
killed and wounded, and they must have lost three. Look,
there's a sight !" and he pointed to long lines of men ad-
vancing by fours. In the centre of, and being borne by,
each group of four was a kind of hide tray, of which a
Kukuana force always carried a quantity, with a loop for
a handle at each comer. On these trays — and their num-
ber seemed endless — ^lay wounded men, who as they ar-
rived were hastily examined by the medicine-men, of
whom ten were attached to each regiment. K the wound
was not of a fatal character the sufferer was taken away
and attended to as carefully as circumstances would allow.
But if, on the other hand, the wounded man's condition
was hopeless, what followed was very dreadful, though
doubtless it was the truest mercy. One of the doctors,
under pretence of carrying out an examination, swiftly
opened an artery with a sharp knife, and in a minute or
two the sufferer expired painlessly. There were many
cases that day in which this was done. In fact, it was
done in most cases when the wound was in the body, for
the gash made by the entry of the enormously broad spears
used by the Kukuanas generally rendered recovery hope-
less. In most cases the sufferers were already unconscious,
and in others the fatal " nick " of the artery was done so
swiftly and painlessly that they did not seem to notice it.
Still it was a ghastly sight, and one from which we were
glad to escape; indeed, I never remember one which af-
fected me more than seeing those gallant soldiers thus
put out of pain by the red-handed medicine-men. except,

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Kinii Solomon's mines. 179

indeed^ on an occasion when, after an attack, I saw a force
of Swazis burying their hopelessly wounded alive.

Hurrying from this dreadful scene to the farther side of
the koppie, we found Sir Henry (who still held a bloody
battle-axe in his hand), Ignosi, Infadoos, and one or two
of the chiefs in deep consultation.

" Thank heavens, here you are, Quatermain ! I can't
make out what Ignosi wants to do. It seems that, though
we have beaten off the attack, Twala is now receiving
large reinforcements, and is showing a disposition to in-
vest us, with a view of starving us out."

"That's awkward."

" Yes ; especially as Inf adoos says that the water sup-
ply has given out."

"My lord, that is so," said Inf adoos; "the spring can-
not supply the wants of so great a multitude, and is fail-
ing rapidly. Before night we shall all be thirsty. Listen,
Macumazahn. Thou art wise, and hast doubtless seen
many wars in the lands from whence thou camest — ^that is
if, indeed, they make wars in the stars. Now tell us, what
shall we do? Twala has brought up many fresh men to
take the place of those who have fallen. But Twala has
learned a lesson ; the hawk did not think to find the heron
ready; but our beak has pierced his breast; he will not
strike at us again. We, too, are wounded, and he will
wait for us to die ; he will wind himself round us like a
snake round a buck, and fight the fight of * sit down.' "

" I hear you," I said.

" So, Macumazahn, thou seest we have no water here,
and but a little food, and we must choose between these
three things — to languish like a starving lion in his den,
or to strive to break away towards the nortluor "— and

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180 KING SOLOMON'b MINES.

here he rose and pointed towards the dense mass of our
foes — "to launch ourselves straight at Twala's throat.
Incubu, the great warrior — for to-day he fought like a
buffalo in a net, and Twala's soldiers went down before
his axe like com before the hail; with these eyes I saw it
— Incubu says * charge;* but the Elephant is ever prone
to charge. Now what says Macumazahn, the wily old fox,
whx) has seen much and loves to bite his enemy from be-
hind ? The last word is in Ignosi, the king, for it is a
king's right to speak of war; but let us hear thy voice,
O Macumazahn, who watchest by night, and the voice too
of him of the transparent eye."

" What say est thou, Ignosi ?" I asked.

"Nay, my father," answered our quondam servant, who
now, clad as he was in the full panoply of savage war,
looked every inch a warrior king, " do thou speak, and let
me, who am but a child in wisdom beside thee, hearken to
thy words."

Thus abjured, I, after taking hasty counsel with Good
and Sir Henry, delivered my opinion briefly to the effect
that, being trapped, our best chance, especially in view of
the failure of our water supply, was to initiate an attack
upon Twala's forces, and then I reconmiended that the at-
tack should be delivered at once, " before our wounds
grew stiff," and also before the sight of Twala's over-
powering force caused the hearts of our soldiers " to wax
small like fat before a fire." Otherwise, I pointed out,
some of the captains might change their minds, and, mak-
ing peace with Twala, desert to him, or even betray us into
his hands.

This expression of opinion seemed, on the whole, to be
favorably received ; indeed, among the Kukuanas my utter-

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KING Solomon's mines. 181

ances met with a respect which has never been accorded to
them before or since. But the real decision as to our
coarse lay with Ignosi, who, since he had been recognized
as rightful king, could exercise the almost unbounded
rights of sovereignty, including, of course, the final de-
cision on matters of generalship, and it was to him that
all eyes were now turned.

At length, after a pause, during which he appeared to
be thinking deeply, he spoke:

"Incubu, Macumazahn, and Bougwan, brave white
men, and my friends; Infadoos, my uncle, and chiefs; my
heart is fixed. I will strike at Twala this day, and set
my fortunes on the blow, ay, and my life; my life and
your lives also. Listen : thus will I strike. Ye see
how the hill curves round like the half -moon, and how
the plain runs like a green tongue towards us within the
curve ?"

** We see," I answered.

" Good; it is now midday, and the men eat and rest af-
ter the toil of battle. When the sun has turned and
travelled a little way towards the dark, let thy regiment,
my uncle, advance with one other down to the green
tongue. And it shall be that when Twala sees it he shall
hurl his force at it to crush it. But the spot is narrow,
and the regiments can come against thee one at a time
only; so shall they be destroyed one by one, and the eyes
of all Twala*s army shall be fixed upon a struggle the like
of which has not been seen by living man. And with thee,
my uncle, shall go Incubu, my friend, that when Twala sees
his battle-axe flashing in t£e first rank of the * Grays ' his
heart may grow faint. And I will come with the second
regiment, that which follows thee, so that il^e arjB de-

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182 KING Solomon's mines.

stroyed, as it may happen, there may yet be a king left
to fight for; and with me shall come Macnmazahn the
wise." *

" It is well, O King," said Inf adoos, apparently contem-
plating the certainty of the complete annihilation of his
regiment with perfect calmness. Truly these Eukuanas
are a wonderful people. Death has no terrors for them
when it is incurred in the course of duty.

" And while the eyes of the multitude of Twala's regi-
ments are thus fixed upon the fight," went on Ignosi, " be-
hold, one third of the men who are left alive to us " {i, e,y
about six thousand) " shall creep along the right horn of the
hill and fall upon the left flank of Twala's force, and one
third shall creep along the left horn and fall upon Twala's
right flank. And when I see that the horns are ready to toss
Twala, then wiii I, with the men who are left to me, charge
home in Twala's face, and if fortune goes with us the day
will be ours, and before Night drives her horses from the
mountains to the mountains we shall sit in peace at Loo.
And now let us eat and make ready; and, Inf adoos, do
tbou prepare, that the plan be carried out; and stay, let
my white father, Bougwan, go with the right horn, that his
shining eye may give courage to the men."

The arrangements for the attack thus briefly indicated
were set in motion with a rapidity that spoke well for the
perfection of the Kukuana military system. Within little
more than an hour rations had been served out to the men
and devoured, the three divisions were formed, the plan
of attack explained to the leaders, and the whole force,
with the exception of a guard left with the wounded, now
numbering about eighteen thousand men in all, was ready
to be put in motion. ^

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KING Solomon's min£s. 183

Presently Good came up and shook hands with Sir
Henry and myself.

"Good-bye, you fellows," he said, "I am off with the
right wing, according to orders; and so I have come to
shake hands in case we should not meet again, you know,"
he added, significantly.

We shook hands in silence, and not without the exhibi-
tion of as much emotion as Englishmen are wont to show.

" It is a queer business," said Sir Henry, his deep voice
shaking a little, " and I confess I never expect to see to-
morrow's sun. As far as I can make out, the Grays, with
whom I am to go, are to fight until they are wiped out in
order to enable the wings to slip round unawares and out-
flank Twala. Well, so be it; at any rate, it will be a man's
death ! Good-bye, old fellow. God bless you ! I hope
you will pull through and live to collar the diamonds ;
but if you do, take my advice and don't have anything
more to do with pretenders !"

In another second Good had wrung us both by the hand
and gone; and then Infadoos came up and led off Sir Henry
to his place in the forefront of the Grays, while, with many
misgivings, I departed with Ignosi to my station in the
second attacking regiment.

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CHAPTER XIV.

THE LAST STAND OF THE GBAYS.

In a few more minutes the regiments destined to carry
out tfie flanking movements had tramped off in silence,
keeping carefully under the lee of the rising ground in
order to conceal the movement from the keen eyes of
Twala*s scouts.

Half an hour or more was allowed to elapse between
the setting-out of the horns or wings of the army before
any movement was made by the Grays and the support-
ing regiments, known as the Buffaloes, which formed its
chest, and which were destined to bear the brunt of the
battle.

Both of these regiments were almost perfectly fresh,
and of full strength, the Grays having been in reserve in
the morning, and having lost but a small number of men
in sweeping back that part of the attack which had proved
successful in breaking the line of defence on the occasion
when I charged with them and got knocked silly for my
pains. As for the Buffaloes, they had formed the third
line of defence on the left, and as the attacking force at
that point had not succeeded in breaking through the sec-
ond, had scarcely come into action at all.

Infadoos, who was a wary old general, and knew the
absolute importance of keeping up the spirits of his men
on the eve of such a desperate encounter, employed the
pause in addressing his own regiment, the Grays, in

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RING Solomon's mines. 185

poetical language; in explaining to them the honor that
they were receiving in being put thus in the forefront of
the battle, and in having the great white warrior from the
stars to fight with them in their ranks, and in promising
large rewards of cattle and promotion to all who survived
in the event of Ignosi's arms being successful.

I looked down the long lines of waving black plumes
and stem faces beneath them, and sighed to think that
within one short hour most, if not all, of those magnifi-
cent veteran warriors, not a man of whom was under forty
years of age, would be laid dead or dying in the dust. It
could not be otherwise; they were being condemned, with
that wise recklessness of human life that marks the great
general, and often saves his forces and attains his ends, to
certain slaughter, in order to give the cause and the re-
mainder of the army a chance of success. They were
foredoomed to die, and they knew it. It was to be their
task to engage regiment after regiment of Twala's army
on the narrow strip of green beneath us, till they were ex-
terminated, or till the wings found a favorable opportuni-
ty for their onslaught. And yet they never hesitated,
nor could I detect a sign of fear upon the face of a single
warrior. There they were — going to certain death, about
to quit the blessed light of day forever, and yet able to
contemplate their doom without a tremor. I could not,
even at that moment, help contrasting their state of mind
with my own, which was far from comfortable, and breath-
ing a sigh of envy and admiration. Never before had I
seen such an absolute devotion to the idea of duty, and'
such a complete indifference to its bitter fruits.

"Behold your king !" ended old Infadoos, pointing to
Ignosi; "go fight and fall for him, as is the dotv of jbrave

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186 KING Solomon's mikes.

men, and cursed and shamef al forever be the name of him
who shrinks from death for his king, or who turns his
back to his enemy. Behold your king ! chiefs, captains,
and soldiers ; now do your homage to the sacred snake,
and then follow on, that Incubu and I may show ye the
road to the heart of Twala's forces.''

There was a moment's pause, then suddenly there rose
from the serried phalanxes before us a murmur, like the
distant whisper of the sea, caused by the gentle tapping
of the handles of six thousand spears against their holders'
shields. Slowly it swelled, till its growing volume deep-
ened and widened into a roar of rolling noise, that echoed
like thunder against the mountains, and filled the air with
heavy waves of sound. Then it decreased and slowly
died away into nothing, and suddenly out crashed the
royal salute.

Ignosi, I thought to myself, might well be a proud man
that day, for no Roman emperor ever had such a saluta-
tion from gladiators " about to die."

Ignosi acknowledged this magnificent act of homage by
lifting his battle-axe, and then the Grays filed off in a
triple-line formation, each line containing about one thou-
sand fighting men, exclusive of officers. When the last line
had gone some five hundred yards, Ignosi put himself at
the head of the Buffaloes, which regiment was drawn up
in a similar three-line formation, and gave the word to
march, and off we went, I, needless to say, uttering the
most heailfelt prayers that I might come out of that job
with a whole skin. Many a queer position have I found
myself in, but never before in one quite so unpleasant as
the present, or one in which my chance of coming off safe
was so small.

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KING Solomon's minbs. 18V

By the time that we reached the edge of the plateau the
Grays were already half-way down the slope ending in the
tongue of grass-land that ran up into the bend of the moun-
tain, something as the frog of a horse's foot runs up into
the shoe. The excitement in Twala's camp on the plain
beyond was very great, and regiment after regiment was
starting forward at a long swinging trot in order to reach
the root of the tongue of land before the attacking force
could emerge into the plain of Loo.

This tongue of land, which was some three hundred
yards in depth, was, even at its root or widest part, not
more than three hundred and fifty paces across, while at
its tip it scarcely measured ninety. The Grays, who, in
passing down the side of the hill and on to the tip of the
tongue, had formed in column, on reaching the spot where
it broadened out again reassumed their triple-line forma-
tion and halted dead.

Then we — that is, the Buffaloes — moved down the tip
of the tongue and took our stand in reserve, about one hun-
dred yards behind the last line of the Grays, and on slight-
ly higher ground. Meanwhile we had leisure to observe
Twala's entire force, which had evidently been reinforced
since the morning attack, and could not now, notwithstand-
ing their losses, number less than forty thousand, moving
swiftly up towards us. But as they drew near the root of
the tongue they hesitated, having discovered that only one
regiment could advance into the gorge at a time, and that
there, some seventy yards from the mouth of it, unassaila-
ble except in front, on account of the high walls of boul-
der-strewn ground on either side, stood the famous regi-
ment of Grays, the pride and glory of the Kukuana army,
Teady to hold the way against their forces ap the three

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188

Romans once held the bridge against thousands. They
hesitated, and finally stopped their advance; there was no
eagerness to cross spears with those three lines of grim
warriors who stood so firm and ready. Presently, however,
a tall general, with the customary head-dress of nodding
ostrich plumes, came running up, attended by a group of
chiefs and orderlies, being, I thought, none other than
Twala himself, and gave an order, and the first regiment
raised a shout, and charged up towards the Grays, who re-
mained perfectly still and silent until the attacking troops
were within forty yards, and a volley of toUas, or throw-
ing-knives, came rattling among their ranks.

Then suddenly, with a bound and a roar, they sprang
forward with uplifted spears, and the two regiments met
in deadly strife. Next second the roll of the meeting
shields came to our ears like the sound of thunder, and
the whole plain seemed to be alive with flashes of light
reflected from the stabbing spears. To and fro swung
the heaving mass of struggling, stabbing humanity, but
not for long. Suddenly the attacking lines seemed to grow
thinner, and then with a slow, long heave the Grays passed
over them, just as a great wave heaves up and passes over
a sunken ridge. It was done ; that regiment was com-
pletely destroyed, but the Grays had but two lines left
now; a third of their number were dead.

Closing up shoulder to shoulder once more, they halted
in silence and awaited attack; and I was rejoiced to catch
sight of Sir Henry's yellow beard as he moved to and fro,
arranging the ranks. So he was yet alive !

Meanwhile we moved up on to the ground of the en-
counter, which was cumbered by about four thousand pros-
trate human beings, dead, dying, and wounded, and literally

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stained red with blood. Ignosi issued an order, which was
rapidly passed down the ranks, to the effect that none of
the enemy's wounded were to be killed, and, so far as we
could see, this order was scrupulously carried out. It would
have been a shocking sight, if we had had time to think of it.
* But now a second regiment, distinguished by white
plumes, kilts, and shields, was moving up to the attack of
the two thousand remaining Grays, who stood waiting in
the same ominous silence as before^ till the foe was within
forty yards or so, when they hurled themselves with irre-
sistible force upon them. Again there came the awful
roll of the meeting shields, and as we watched, the grim
tragedy repeated itself. But this time the issue was left
longer in doubt; indeed, it seemed for a while almost im-
possible that the Grays should again prevail. The at-
tacking regiment, which was one formed of young men,
fought with the utmost fury, and at first seemed by sheer
weight to be driving the veterans back. The slaughter
was something awful, hundreds falling every minute; and
from among the shouts of the warriors and the groans of
the dying, set to the clashing music of meeting spears,
came a continuous hissing undertone of " S*gee^ «V^>" *^6
note of triumph of each victor as he passed his spear through
and through the body of his fallen foe.

But perfect discipline and steady and unchanging valor
can do wonders, and one veteran soldier is worth two
young ones, as soon became apparent in the present case.
For just as we thought that it was all up with the Grays,
and were preparing to take their place so soon as they
made room by being destroyed, I heard Sir Henry's deep
voice ringing out above the din, and caught a glimpse of
his circling battle-axe as he waved it high above his plumes.

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190 KING Solomon's mines.

Then came a change; the Grays ceased to give; they stood
still as a rock, against which the furious waves of spear-
men broke again and again, only to recoil. Presently they
began to move again — forward this time; as they had no
firearms there was no smoke, so we could see it aU. An-
other minute and the onslaught grew fainter.

"Ah, they are men indeed; they will conquer again,*'
called out Ignosi, who was grinding his teeth with ex-
citement at my side. " See, it is done 1"

Suddenly, like puffs of smoke from the mouth of a can^
non, the attacking regiment broke away in flying groups,
their white head-dresses streaming behind them in tiie
wind, and left their opponents victors, indeed, but, alas! no
more a regiment. Of the gallant triple line, which, forty
minutes before had gone into action three thousand strong,
there remained at most some six hundred blood-bespattered
men; the rest were under foot. And yet they cheered and
waved their spears in triumph, and then, instead of falling
back upon us as we expected, they ran forward, for a hun-
dred yards or so, after the flying groups of foemen, took
possession of a gently rising knoll of ground, and, resum-
ing the old triple formation, formed a threefold ring around
it. And then, thanks be to God, standing on the top of a
mound for a minute, I saw Sir Henry, apparently unharmed,
and with him our old friend Infadbos. Then Twala's
regiments rolled down upon the doomed band, and once
more the battle closed in.

As those who read this history will probably long ago
have gathered, I am, to be honest, a bit of a coward, and
certainly in no way given to fighting, though, somehow, it
has -often been my lot to get into unpleasant positions, and
to be obliged to shed man's blood. But I have always hated

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KING Solomon's mines. 191

it, and kept my own blood as undiminished in quantity as
possible, sometimes by a judicious use of my heels. At this
moment, however, for the first time in my life, I felt my bos-
om bum with martial ardor. Warlike fragments from the
"Ingoldsby Legends," together with numbers of sangui-
nary verses from the Old Testament, sprang up in my brain
like mushrooms in the dark; my blood, which hitherto had
been half-frozen with horror, went beating through my
veins, and there came upon me a savage desire to kill and
spare not. I glanced round at the serried ranks of warriors
behind us, and somehow, all in an instant, began to won-
der if my face looked like theirs. There they stood, their
heads craned forward over their shields, the hands twitch-
ing, the lips apart, the fierce features instinct with the hun-
gry lust of battle, and in the eyes a look like the glare
of a bloodhound when he sights his quarry.

Only Ignosi's heart seemed, to judge from his compara-
tive self-possession, to all appearance, to beat as calmly as
ever beneath his leopard-skin cloak, though even lie still
kept on grinding his teeth. I could stand it no longer.

" Are we to stand here till we put out roots, Umbopa —
Ignosi, I mean — ^while Twala swallows our brothers yon-
der?" I asked.

" Nay, Macumazahn," was the answer; " see, now is the
ripe moment; let us pluck it."

As he spoke a fresh regiment rushed past the ring upon
the little mound, and, wheeling round, attacked it from the
hither side.

Then, lifting his battle-axe, Ignosi gave the signal to ad-
vance, imd, raising the Eukuana battle-cry, the Buffaloes
charged home with a rush like the rush of the sea.

What followed immediately on this it is oat of, my

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192 KING Solomon's mines.

power to tell. All I can remember is a wild yet ordered
rushing, that seemed to shake the ground; a sudden change
of front and forming up on the part of the regiment
against which the charge was directed; then an awful
shock, a dull roar of voices, and a continuous flashing of
spears, seen through a red mist of blood.

When my mind cleared I found myself standing inside
the remnant of the Grays near the top of the mound, and
just behind no less a person than Sir Henry himself. How
I got there I had, at the moment, no idea, but Sir Henry
afterwards told me that I was borne up by the first furi-
ous charge of the Buffaloes almost to his feet, and then
left, as they in turn were pressed back. Thereon he dashed
out of the circle and dragged me into it.

As for the fight that followed, who can describe it?
Again and again the multitudes surged up against our
momentarily lessening circle, and again and again we beat
them back.

" The stubborn spearsmen still made good
The dark impenetrable wood ;
Each stepping where his comrade stood
The instant that he fell,"

as I think the " Ingoldsby Legends " beautifully puts it.
It was a splendid thing to see those brave battalions
come on time after time over the barriers of their dead,
sometimes holding corpses before them to receive our spear-
thrusts, only to leave their own corpses to swell the rising
piles. It was a gallant sight to see that sturdy old war-
rior, Inf adoos, as cool as though he were on parade, shout-
ing out orders, taunts, and even jests, to keep up the spirit
of his few remaining men, and then, as each charge rolled
up, stepping forward to wherever the fighting was ihick-

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193

est, to bear his share in repelling it. And yet more gal-
lant was the vision of Sir Henry, whose ostrich plames had
been shorn off by a spear-stroke, so that his long yellow
hair streamed ont in the breeze behind him. There he
stood, the great Dane, for he was nothing else, his hands, his
axe, and his armor all red with blood, and none could live
before his stroke. Time after time I saw it come sweeping
down, as some great warrior ventured to give him battle,
and as he struck he shouted, " Oh-hoyl O-hoyP^ like his
Bersekir forefathers, and the blow went crashing through
shield and spear, through head-dress, hair, and skull, till
at last none would of their own will come near the great
white " tagati " (wizard), who killed and failed not.

But suddenly there rose a cry of " Twala^ y* Tkoala,'^^
and out of the press sprang forward none other than the
gigantic one-eyed king himself, also armed with battle-
axe and shield, and clad in chain armor.

" Where art thou, Incubu, thou white man, who slew
Scragga, my son — see if thou canst kill me !" he shouted,
and at the same time hurled a tolla straight at Sir Henry,
who, fortunately, saw it coming, and caught it on his shield,
which transfixed it, remaining wedged in the iron plate be-
hind the hide.

Then with a cry, Twala sprang forward straight at him,
and with his battle-axe struck him such a blow upon the
shield that the mere force and shock of it brought Sir
Henry, strong man as he was, down upon his knees.

But at the time the matter went no further, for at that
instant there rose from the regiments pressing round us
something like a shout of dismay, and on looking up I saw
the cause.

To the right and to the left the plain waa-^live jwith

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194 KING Solomon's mines.

the plumes of charging warriors. The outflanking squad-
rons had come to our relief. The time could not have
been better chosen. All Twala's army had, as Ignosi had
predicted would be the case, fixed their attention on the
bloody struggle which was raging round the remnant of
the Grays and the Buffaloes, who were now caftying on a
battle of their own at a little distance, which two regi-
ments had formed the chest of our army. It was not un-
til the horns were about to close upon them that they had
dreamed of their approach. And now, before they could
even assume a proper formation for defence, the outflank-
ing Impis had leaped, like greyhounds, on their flanks.

In five minutes the fate of the battle was decided.
Taken on both flanks, and dismayed by the awful slaughter
inflicted upon them by the Grays and Buffaloes, Twala*s
regiments broke into flight, and soon the whole plain be-
tween us and Loo was scattered with groups of flying sol-
diers, making good their retreat. As for the forces that
had so recently surrounded us and the Buffaloes, they
melted away as though by magic, and presently we were
left standing there like a rock from which the sea has re-
treated. But what a sight it was ! Around us the dead
and dying lay in heaped-up masses, and of the gallant
Grays there remained alive but ninety-five men. More
than two thousand nine hundred had fallen in this one
regiment, most of them never to rise again.

" Men," said Infadoos, calmly, as between the intervals
of binding up a wound in his arm he surveyed what re-
mained to him of his corps, "ye have kept up the repu-
tation of your regiment, and this day's fighting will be
spoken of by your children's children." Then he turned
round and shook Sir Henry Curtis by the hand. " Thou

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KING Solomon's mines. 195

art a great man, Incubu," he said, simply; " I have lived a
long life among warriors, and known many a brave one,
yet have I never seen a man like thee."

At this moment the Buffaloes began to march past our
position on the road to Loo, and as they did so a message
was brought to us from Ignosi requesting Infadoos, Sir
Henry, and myself to join him. Accordingly, orders hav-
ing been issued to the remaining ninety men of the Grays
to employ themselves in <5ollecting the wounded, we joined
Ignosi, who informed us that he was pressing on to Loo to
complete the victory by capturing Twala, if that should
be possible. Before we had gone far we suddenly dis-
covered the figure of Good sitting on an ant-heap about
one hundred paces from us. Close beside him was the
body of a Eukuana.

"He must be wounded," said Sir Henry, anxiously.
As he made the remark, an untoward thing happened. The
dead body of the Eukuana soldier, or rather what had
appeared to be his dead body, suddenly sprang up, knocked
Gk)od head over heels off the ant-heap, and began to spear
him. We rushed forward in terror, and as we drew near
we saw the brawny warrior making dig after dig at the
prostrate Good, who at each prod jerked all his limbs into
the air. Seeing us coming, the Eukuana gave one final
most vicious dig, and with a shout of "Take that, wizard,"
bolted off. Good did not move, and we concluded that
our poor comrade was done for. Sadly we came towards
him, and were indeed astonished to find him pale and faint
indeed, but with a serene smile upon his face, and his eye-
glass still fixed in his eye.

" Capital armor this," he murmured, on catching sight
of our faces bending over him. ' " How sold he^ust have

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196

been," and then he fainted. On examination we discov-
ered that he had been seriously wounded in the leg by a
toUa in the course of the pursuit, but that the chain-armor
had prevented his last assailant's spear from doing any-
thing more than bruise him badly. It was a merciful es-
cape. As nothing could be done for him at the moment,
he was placed on one of the wicker shields used for the
wounded, and carried along with us.

On arriving before the nearest gate of Loo we found
one of our regiments watching it in obedience to orders
received from Ignosi. The remaining regiments were in
the same way watching the other exits to the town. The
officer in command of this regiment coming up, saluted Ig-
nosi as king, and informed him that Twala's army had
taken refuge in the town, whither Twala himself had also
escaped, but that he thought they were thoroughly de-
moralized, and would surrender. Thereupon Ignosi, after
taking counsel with us, sent forward heralds to each gate
ordering the defenders to open, and promising on his royal
word life and forgiveness to every soldier who laid down
his arms. The message was not without its effect. Pres-
ently, amid the shouts and cheers of the Buffaloes, the
bridge was dropped across the fosse, and the gates upon
the farther side flung open.

Taking due precautions against treachery, we marched
on into the town. All along the roadways stood dejected
warriors, their heads drooping and their shields and spears
at their feet, who, as Ignosi passed, saluted him as king.
On we marched, straight to Twala's kraal. When we
reached the great space, where a day or two previously
we had seen the review and the witch-hunt, we found it
deserted. No, not quite deserted, for there, on the farther

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KING Solomon's mines. 197

side, in front of his hut, sat Twala himself, with bat one
attendant — Gagool.

It was a melancholy sight to see him seated there, his
battle-axe and shield by his side, his chin upon his mailed
breast, with but one old crone for companion, and, notwith-
standing his cruelties and misdeeds, a pang of compassion
shot through tne as I saw him thus " fallen from his high
estate.'' Not a soldier of all his armies, not a courtier out
of the hundreds who had cringed round him, not even a
solitary wife, remained to share his fate or halve the bit-
terness of his fall. Poor savage ! he was learning the les-
son that fate teaches to most who live long enough, that
the eyes of mankind are blind to the discredited, and that
he who is defenceless and fallen finds few friends and little
mercy. Nor, indeed, in this case did he deserve any.

Filing through the kraal gate, we marched straight
across the open space to where the ex-king sat. When
within about fifty yards the regiment was halted, and, ac-
'companied only by a small guard, we advanced towards
him, Gagool reviling us bitterly as we came. As we drew
near, Twala, for the first time, lifted up his plumed head,
and fixed his one eye, which seemed to flash with sup-
pressed fury almost as brightly as the great diadem bound
round his forehead, upon his successful rival — Ignosi

"Hail, O king I" he said, with bitter mockery; "thou
who hast eaten of my bread, and now by the aid of the
white man's magic hast seduced my regiments and defeated
mine army, hail ! what fate hast thou for me, O king ?"

" The fate thou gavest to my father, whose throne thou
hast sat on these many years I" was the stem answer.

" It is well. I will show thee how to die, that thou
mayest remember it against thine own time. See, the sun

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198 KING Solomon's mines.

sinks in blood," and he pointed with his red battle-axe
towards the fiery orb now going down ; " it is well that
my san should sink with it. And now, O king ! I am
ready to die, but I crave the boon of the Eukuana royal
house * to die fighting. Thou canst not refuse it, or even
those cowards who fled to-day will hold thee shamed."

**It is granted. Ohoose — ^with whom wilt thou fight?
Myself, I cannot fight with thee, for the king fights not
except in war."

Twala's sombre eye ran up and down our ranks, and I
felt, as for a moment it rested on myself, that the position
had developed a new horror. What if he chose to begin
by fighting me? What chance should I have against a
desperate savage six feet five high, and broad in propor-
tion ? I might as well commit suicide at once. Hastily I
made up my mind to decline the combat, even if I were
hooted out of Eukuanaland as a consequence. It is, I
think, better to be hooted than to be quartered with a
battle-axe.

Presently he spoke.

" Incubu, what sayest thou, shall we end what we began
to-day, or shall I call thee coward, white — even to the
liver?"

" Nay," interposed Ignosi, hastily; " thou shalt not fight
with Incubu."

" Not if he is afraid," said Twala.

Unfortunately Sir Henry understood this remark, and
the blood flamed up into his cheeks.

* It is a law amoDg the Eukuanas that no man of the royal blood can
be put to death unless by his own consent, which is, however, never re-
fused. He is allowed to choose a succession of antagonists, to be approved
by the king, with whom he fights until one of them kills him. t

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KING Solomon's mines. 199

^I will fight him," he said; ^^he shall see if I am
afraid.''

" For God's sake," I entreated, " don't risk your life
against that of a desperate man. Anybody who saw you
to-day will know that you are not a coward."

" I will fight him," was the sullen answer. " No living
man shall call me a coward. I am ready now !" and he
stepped forward and lifted his axe.

I wrung my hands over this absurd piece of Quixotism;
but if he was determined on fighting, of course I could
not stop him.

" Fight not, my white brother," said Ignosi, laying his
hand affectionately on Sir Henry's arm; " thou hast fought
enough, and if aught befell thee at his hands it would cut
my heart in twain."
' " I will fight, Ignosi," was Sir Henry's answer.

"It is well, l^ncubu; thou art a brave man. It will be
a good fight. Behold, Twala, the Elephant is ready for
thee."

The ex-king laughed savagely, and stepped forward and
faced Curtis. For a moment they stood thus, and the set-
ting sun caught their stalwart frames and clothed them
both in fire. They were a well-matched pair.

Then they began to circle round each other, their battle-
axes raised.

Suddenly Sir Henry sprang forward and struck a fear-
ful blow at Twala, who stepped to one side. So heavy was
the stroke that the striker half over-balanced himself, a
circumstance of which his antagonist took a prompt ad-
vantage. Circling his heavy battle-axe round his head, he
brought it down with tren^endous force. My heart jumped
into my mouth; I thought the affair was alreadv finished.

200 KING Solomon's mines.

But no; with a quick upward movement of the left arm
Sir Henry interposed his shield between himself and the
axe, with the result that its outer edge was shorn clean
off, the axe falling on his left shoulder, but not heavily
enough to do any senous damage. In another second Sir
Henry got in another blow, which was also received by
Twala upon his shield. Then followed blow upon blow,
which were, in turn, either received upon the shield or
avoided. The excitement grew intense; the regiment
which was watching the encounter forgot its discipline,
and, drawing near, shouted and groaned at every stroke.
Just at this time, too. Good, who had been laid upon the
ground by me, recovered from his faint, and, sitting up,
perceived what was going on. In an instant he was up,
and, catching hold of my arm, hopped about from place
to place on one leg, dragging me after him, yelling out
encouragements to Sir Henry —

"Go it, old fellow!" he halloed. "That was a good
one ! Give it him amidships," and so on.

Presently Sir Henry, having caught a fresh stroke upon
his shield, hit out with all his force. The stroke cut
through Twala's shield and through the tough chain armor
behind it, gashing him in the shoulder^ With a yell of
pain and fury Twala returned the stroke with interest,
and, such was his strength, shore right through the rhinoc-
eros-horn handle of his antagonist's battle-axe, strength-
ened as it was with bands of steel, wounding Curtis in the
face.

A cry of dismay rose from the Buffaloes as our hero's
broad axe-head fell to the ground; and Twala, again rais-
ing his weapon, flew at him with a shout. I shut my eyes.
When I opened them again, it was to see Sir Henry's shield

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KnTG Solomon's mines. 2^V^

lying on the ground, and Sir Henry himself with his great
arms twined round Twala's middle. To and fro they
swung, hugging each other like bears, straining with all
their mighty muscles for dear life and dearer honor.
With a supreme effort Twala swung the Englishman clean
off his feet, and down they came together, rolUng over and
over on the lime paving, Twala striking out at Curtis's
head with the battle-axe, and Sir Henry trying to drive the
tolla he had drawn from his belt through Twala's armor.

It was a mighty struggle and an awful thing to see.

" Get his axe!" yelled Good; and perhaps our champion
heard him.

At any rate, dropping the tolla, he made a grab at the
axe, which was fastened to Twala's wrist by a strip of
buffalo-hide, and, still rolling over and over, they fought
for it like wildcats, drawing their breath in heavy gasps.
Suddenly the hide string burst, and then, with a great
effort, Sir Henry freed himself, the weapon remaining in
his grasp. Another second and he was up on his feet,
the red blood streaming from the wound in his face, and
so was Twala. Drawing the heavy tolla from his belt,
he staggered straight at Curtis and struck him upon the
breast. The blow came home true and strong, but who-
ever it was made that chain armor understood his art, for
it withstood the steel. Again Twala struck out with a
savage yell, and again the heavy knife rebounded and Sir
Henry went staggering back. Once more Twala came on,
and as he came our great Englishman gathered himself
together, and, swinging the heavy axe round his head, hit
at him with all his force. There was a shriek of excite-
ment from a thousand throats, and, behold! Twala's head
seemed to spring from his shoulders, and then fell and

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j0k Kma soloicon's Mnrss.

eame rolling and bounding along the groond towards Ig*
nosiy stopping jost at his feet. For a second the corpse
stood upright, the blood spouting in fountains from the
severed arteries; then with a dull crash it fell to the earth,
and the gold torque from the neck went rolling away across
the pavement. As it did so Sir Henry, overpowered by
faintness and loss of blood, fell heavily across it.

In a second he was lifted up, and eager hands were pour-
ing water on his face. Another minute, and the great
gray eyes opened wide.

He was not dead.

Then I, just as the sun sank, stepping to where Twala^s
head lay in the dust, unloosed the diamond from the dead
brows and handed it to Ignosi.

" Take it," I said, " lawful king of the Eukuanas."

Ignosi bound the diadem upon his brows, and then ad-
vancing placed his foot upon the broad chest of his head-
less foe and broke out into a chant, or rather a paean of
victory, so beautiful, and yet so utterly savage, that I de-
spair of being able to give an adequate idea of it. I once
heard a scholar with a fine voice read aloud from the Oreek
poet Homer, and I remember that the sound of the rolling
lines seemed to make my blood stand still. Ignosi's chant,
uttered as it was in a language as beautiful and sonorous
as the old Oreek, produced exactly the same effect on me,
although I was exhausted with toil and many emotions.

" Now," he began, " now is our rebellion swallowed up
in victory, and our evil-doing justified by strength.

" In the morning the oppressors rose up and shook them-
selves; they bound on their plumes and made them ready
for war.

"They rose up and grasped their spears: the sddiers

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KING Solomon's minbs. 208

called to the captains, ^ Come, lead as ' — and the captains
cried to the king, 'Direct thou the battle.'

" They rose up in their pride, twenty thousand men, and
yet a twenty thousand.

** Their plumes covered the earth as the plumes of a bird
X50ver her nest; they shook their spears and shouted, yea,
they hurled their spears into the sunlight; they lusted for
the battle and were glad.

'^ They came up against me ; their strong ones came
running swiftly to crush me ; they cried, 'Hal ha I he is
as one already dead.'

" Then breathed I on them, and my breath was as the
breath of a storm, and lo! they were not.

"My lightnings pierced them; I licked up their strength
with the lightning of my spears; I shook them to the earth
with the thunder of my shouting.

"They broke — they scattered — they were gone as the
mists of the morning.

" They are food for the crows and the foxes, and the
place of battle is fat with their blood.

" Where are the mighty ones who rose up in the morn-
ing?

" Where are the proud ones who tossed their plumes and
cried, * He is as one already dead ' ?

"They bow their heads, but not in sleep; they are
stretched out, but not in sleep.

''They are forgotten; they have gone into the black-
ness, and shall not return; yea, others shall lead away
their wives, and their children shall remember them no
more.

"And I — ^11 the king — like an eagle have I found my
eyrie.

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204 RIKG SOLOMON^S MINBS.

"Behold I far have I wandered in the night-time, yec
have I returned to my little ones at the daybreak.

" Creep ye under the shadow of my wings, O people,
and I will comfort ye, and ye shall not be dismayed.

" Now is the good time, the time of spoil

" Mine are the cattle in the valleys, the virgins in the
kraals are mine also.

" The winter is overpast, the summer is at hand.

" Now shall Evil cover up her face, and prosperity shall
bloom in the land like a lily.

"Rejoice, rejoice, my people! let aU the land rejoice
in that the tyranny is trodden down, in that I am the
king."

He paused, and out of the gathering gloom there came
back the deep reply:

"Thou art the king."

Thus it was that my prophecy to the herald came true,
and within the forty-eight hours Twala's headless corpse
was stiffening at Twala's gate.

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CHAPTER XV.

GOOD FALLS SICK.

Afteb the fight was ended Sir Henry and Good were
carried into Twala's hut, where I joined them. They were
both utterly exhausted by exertion and loss of blood, and,
indeed, my own condition was little better. I am very
wiry, and can stand more fatigue than most men, probably
on account of my light weight and long training; but that
night I was fairly done up, and, as is always the case with
me when exhausted, that old wound the lion gave me be-
gan to pain me. Also my head was aching violently from
the blow I had received in the morning, when I was knocked
senseless. Altogether, a more miserable trio than we were
that evening it would have been difficult to discover; and
our only comfort lay in the reflection that we were ex-
ceedingly fortunate to be there to feel miserable, instead
of being stretched dead upon the plain, as so many thou-
sands of brave men were that night, who had risen well
and strong in the morning. Somehow, with the assistance
of the beautiful Foulata, who, since we had been the means
of saving her life, had constituted herself our handmaiden,
and especially Good's, we managed to get off the chain
shirts, which had certainly saved the lives of two of us
that day, when we found that the flesh underneath was
terribly bruised, for though the steel links had prevented
the weapons from entering, they had not prevented them
from bruising. Both Sir Henry and Good wer^ a mass of

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206 KING SOLOMON'S MINES.

bruises, and I was by no means free. As a remedy Fou-
lata brought us some pounded green leaves with an aro-
matic odor, which, when applied as a plaster, gave us
considerable relief. But though the bruises were painful,,
they did not give us such anxiety as Sir Henry's and
Good's wounds. Good had a hole right through the fleshy
part of his " beautiful white leg," from which he had lost
a great deal of blood; and Sir Henry had a deep cut over
the jaw, inflicted by Twala's battle-axe. Luckily Good
was a very decent surgeon, and as soon as his small box of
medicines wai^ forthcoming, he, having thoroughly cleansed
the wounds, managed to stitch up first Sir Henry's and
then his own pretty satisfactorily, considering the imper-
fect light given by the primitive Kukuana lamp in the
hut. Afterwards he plentifully smeared the wounds with
some antiseptic ointment, of which there was a pot in the
little box, and we covered them with the remains of a
pocket-handkerchief which we possessed.

Meanwhile Foulata had prepared us some strong broth,
for we were too weary to eat. This we swallowed, and
then threw ourselves down on the piles of magnificent
karosses, or fur rugs, which were scattered about the dead
king's great hut. By a very strange instance of the irony
of fate, it was on Twala's own couch, and wrapped in
Twala's own particular kaross, that Sir Henry, the man
who had slain him, slept that night.

I say slept; but after that day's "jirork sleep was in-
deed diflicult. To begin with, in very truth the air was

full .^ '

" Of farewells to the dying
And mournings for the "dead."

From every direction came the sound of the wailing of

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KiKG Solomon's mines. 207

women whose husbands, sons, and brothers had perishe4
in the fight. No wonder that they wailed, for over twenty
thousand men, or nearly a third of the Kukuana army, had
been destroyed in that awful struggle. It was heart-rend-
ing to lie and listen to their cries for those who would
never return; and it made one realize the full horror of
the work done that day to further man's ambition. Tow-
ards midnight, however, the ceaseless crying of the women
grew less frequent, till at length the silence was only
broken at intervals of a few minutes by a long, piercing
howl that came from a hut in our immediate rear, and
which I afterwards discovered proceeded from Gagool
wailing for the dead king, Twala.

After that I got a little fitful sleep, only to wake from
time to time with a start, thinking that I was once more
an actor in the terrible events of the last twenty-four
hours. Now I seemed to see that warrior, whom my hand
had sent to his last account, charging at me on the moun-
tain-top; now I was once more in that glorious ring of
Grays, which made its immortal stand against all Twala's
regiments, upon the little mound; and now again I saw
Twala's plumed and gory head roll past my feet with
gnashing teeth and glaring eye. At last, somehow or
other, the night passed away; but when dawn broke I
found that my companions had slept no better than my-
self. Good, indeed, was in a high fever, and very soon
afterwards began tp grow light-headed, and also, to my
alarm, to spit blood, the result, no doubt, of some internal
injury inflicted by the desperate efforts made by the Ku-
kuana warrior on the previous day to get his big spear
through the chain armor. Sir Henry, however, seemed
pretty fresh, notwithstanding the wound on his face, which

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208

made eating difficult and laughter an impossibility, th.ox:igh
he was so sore and stiff that he could scarcely stir.

About eight o'clock we had a visit from Infadoos, who
seemed but little the worse — tough old warrior that he
was — ^for his exertions on the previous day, though he in-
formed us he had been up all night. He was delighted to
see us, though much grieved at Good's condition, and
shook hands cordially; but I noticed that he addressed
Sir Henry with a kind of reverence, as though he were
something more than man; and, indeed, as we afterwards
found out, the great Englishman was looked on through-
out Kukuanaland as a supernatural being. No man, the
soldiers said, could have fought as he fought, or could, at
the end of a day of such toil and bloodshed, have slain
Twala, who, in addition to being the king, was supposed
to be the strongest warrior in Kukuanaland, in single com-
bat, sheering through his bull-neck at a stroke. Indeed,
that stroke became proverbial in Kukuanaland, and any
extraordinary blow or feat of strength was thenceforth
known as " Incubu's blow."

Infadoos told us also that all Twala's regiments had
submitted to Ignosi, and that like submissions were begin-
ning to arrive from chiefs in the country. Twala's death
at the hands of Sir Henry had put an end to all further
chance of disturbance; for Scragga had been his only son,
and there was no rival claimant left alive.

I remarked that Ignosi had swum to the throne through
blood. The old chief shrugged his shoulders. " Yes," he
answered; "but the Kukuana people can only be kept
cool by letting the blood flow sometimes. Many were
killed, indeed, but the women were left, and others would
soon grow up to take the places of the fallen.^ After this
.the land would be quiet for a while." Digi-^^y^C^Ogle

KING Solomon's mines. 209

Afterwards, in the course of the morning, we had a short
visit from Ignosi, onxwhose brows the royal diadem was
now bound. As I contemplated him advancing with king-
ly dignity, an obsequious guard following his steps, I could
not help recalling to my mind the tall Zulu who had pre-
sented himself to us at Durban some few months back,
asking to be taken into our service, and reflecting on the
strange revolutions of the wheel of fortune.

" Hail, O king I" I said, rising.

" Yes, Macumazahn. King at last, by the grace of your
three right hands," was the ready answer.

All was, he said, going on well ; and he hoped to ar-
range a great feast in two weeks' time, in order to show
himself to the people.

I asked him what he had settled to do with Gagool.

" She is the evil genius of the land," he answered, " and
I shall kill her, and all the witch-doctors with her ! She
has lived so long that none can remember when she was
not old, and always she it is who has trained the witch-
hunters, and made the land evil in the sight of the heavens
above."

"Yet she knows much," I replied; "it is easier to de-
stroy knowledge, Ignosi, than to gather it."

" It is so," he said, thoughtfully. " She, and she only,
knows the secret of the * Three Witches ' yonder, whither
the great road runs, where the kings are buried, and the
silent ones sit."

" Yes, and the diamonds are. Forget not thy promise,
Ignosi ; thou must lead us to the mines, even if thou hast
to spare Gagool alive to show the way."

^' I will not forget, Macumazahn, and I will think on
what thou sayest."

14 Digitized by GOOglC

210

After Ignosi's visit 1 went to see Good, and found him
quite delirious. The fever from his wound seemed to have
taken a firm hold of his system, and to be complicated by
an internal injury. For four or five days his condition was
most critical; indeed, I firmly believe that had it not been
for Foulata's indefatigable nursing he must have died.

Women are women, all the world over, whatever their
color. Yet somehow it seemed curious to watch this dusky
beauty bending night and day over the fevered man's
couch, and performing all the merciful errands of the sick-
room as swiftly, gently, and with as fine an instinct as a
trained hospital nurse. For the first night or two I tried
to help her, and so did Sir Henry so soon as his stiffness
allowed him to move, but she bore our interference with
impatience, and finally insisted upon our leaving him to
her, saying that our movements made him restless, which
I think was true. Day and night she watched and tended
him, giving him his only medicine, a native cooling drink
made of milk, in which was infused the juice of the bulb
of a species of tulip, and keeping the flies from settling
on him. I can see the whole picture now as it appeared
night after night by the light of our primitive lamp. Good
tossing to and fro, his features emaciated, his eyes shining
large and luminous, and jabbering nonsense by the yard;
and seated on the ground by his side, her back resting
against the wall of the hut, the soft-eyed, shapely Kukuana
beauty, her whole face, weary as it was, animated by a
look of infinite compassion — or was it something more than
compassion ?

For two days we thought that he must die, and crept
about with heavy hearts. Only Foulata would not be-
lieve it. ^ ,

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KING Solomon's minbs. 211

" He will live," she said.

For three hundred yards or more around Twala's diief
hut, where the suflferer lay, there was silence; for by the
king's order all who lived in the habitations behind it had,
except Sir Henry and myself, been removed, lest any noise
should come to the sick man's ear. One night, it was the
fifth night of his illness, as was my habit I went across to
see how he was getting on before turning in for a few
hours.

I entered the hut carefully. The lamp placed upon the
floor showed the figure of Good, tossing no more, but ly-
ing quite still.

So it had come at last ! and in the bitterness of my heart
I gave something like a sob.

" Hush — ^h — ^h !" came from the patch of dark shadow
behind Good's head.

Then, creeping closer, I saw that he was not dead, but
sleeping soundly, with Foulata's taper fingers clasped
tightly in his poor white hand. The crisis had passed, and
he would live. He slept like that for eighteen hours ; and
I scarcely like to say it, for fear I should not be believed,
but during that entire period did that devoted girl sit by
him, fearing that if she moved and drew away her hand
it would wake him. What she must have suffered from
cramp, stiffness, and weariness, to say nothing of want of
food, nobody will ever know; but it is a fact that, when
at last he woke, she had to be carried away — ^her limbs
were so stiff that she could not move them.

After the turn had once been taken. Good's recovery
was rapid and complete. It was not till he was nearly
well that Sir Henry told him of all he owed to Foulata;
and when he came to the story of how |l(6 1^^ hy his side

212 KING Solomon's mines.

for eighteen hours, fearing lest by moving she should
wake him, the honest sailor's eyes filled with tears. He
turned and went straight to the hut where Foulata was
preparing the midday meal (we were back in our old
quarters now), taking me with him to interpret in case he
could not make his meaning clear to her, though I am
bound to say she understood him marvellously as a rule,
considering how extremely limited was his foreign vocab-
ulary.

" Tell her," said Good, " that I owe her my life, and that
I will never forget her kindness." '

I interpreted, and under her dark skin she actually
seemed to blush.

Turning to him with one of those swift and graceful
motions that in her always reminded me of the flight of a
wild bird, she answered softly, glancing at him with her
large brown eyes :

" Nay, my lord; my lord forgets ! Did he not save my
life, and am I not my lord's handmaiden ?"

It will be observed that the young lady appeared to
have entirely forgotten the share which Sir Henry and
myself had had in her preservation from Twala's clutches.
But that is the way of women ! I remember my dear wife
was just the same. I retired from that little interview
sad at heart. I did not like Miss Foulata's soft glances,
for I knew the fatal amorous propensities of sailors in
general, and Good in particular.

There are two things in the world, as I have found it,
which cannot be prevented: you cannot keep a Zulu from
fighting, or a sailor from falling in love upon the slightest
provocation !

It was a few days after this last occurrence that Ignosi

KING Solomon's mines. 213

held hifl great " indaba " (council), and was formally rec-
ognized as king by the "indunas" (head men) of Kuku-
analand. The spectacle was a most imposing one, includ-
ing, as it did, a great review of troops. On this day the
remaining fragment of the Grays were formally paraded,
and in the face of the army thanked for their splendid
conduct in the great battle. To each man the king made
a large present of cattle, promoting them one and all to
the rank of officers in the new corps of Grays which was
in process of formation. An order was also promulgated
throughout the length and breadth of Kukuanaland that,
while we honored the country with our presence, we three
were to be greeted with the royal salute, to be treated
with the same ceremony and respect that was by custom
accorded to the king, and the power of life and death was
publicly conferred upon us. Ignosi, too, in the presence
of his people, reaffirmed the promises that he had made,
to the effect that no man's blood should be shed without
trial, and that witch-hunting should cease in the land.

When the ceremony was over we waited upon Ignosi,
and informed him that we were now anxious to investigate
the mystery of the mines to which Solomon's Boad ran,
asking him if he had discovered anything about them.

"My friends," he answered, "this have I discovered.
It is there that the three great figures sit, who here are
called the ' Silent Ones,' and to whom Twala would have
offered the girl, Foulata, as a sacrifice. It is there, too, in
a great cave deep in the mountain, that the kings of the
land are buried; there ye shall find Twala's body, sitting
with those who went before him. There, too, is a great
pit which, at some time, long dead men dug out, mayhap
for the stones ye speak of, such as I have heard men in

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214 KING Solomon's mines.

Natal speak of at Kimberley. There, too, in the Place of
Death is a secret chamber, known to none but the king
and Qagool. But Twala, who knew it, is dead, and I
know it not, nor know I what is in it. But there is a
legend in the land that once, many generations gone, a
white man crossed the mountains, and was led by a wom-
an to the secret chamber and shown the wealth, but before
he could take it she betrayed him, and he was driven by
the king of the day back to the mountains, and since then
no man has entered the chamber."

" The story is surely true, Ignosi, for on the mountains
we found the white man,'' I said.

" Yes, we found him. And now I have promised ye that
if ye can find that chamber, and the stones are there — "

"The stone upon thy forehead proves that they are
there," I put in, pointing to the great diamond I had taken
from Twala's dead brows.

" Mayhap; if they are there," he said, " ye shall have as
many as ye can take hence — if, indeed, ye would leave me,
my brothers."

" First we must find the chamber," said I.

"There is but one who can show it to thee — QagooL"

"And if she will not?"

"Then shall she die," said Ignosi, sternly. "I have
saved her alive but for this. Stay, she shall choose,"
and, calling to a messenger, he ordered Gagool to be
brought.

In a few minutes she came, hurried along by two guards,
whom she was cursing as she walked.

" Leave her," said the king to the guards.

As soon as their support was withdrawn the withered
old bundle, for she looked more like a bundle^thanjany-

KING Solomon's MiTNKS. 216

thing else, sank into a heap on th^ floor, out of which her
two bright, wicked eyes gleamed like a snake's.

" What will ye with me, Ignosi ?" she piped. "Ye dare
not touch me. If ye touch me I will blast ye as ye sit.
Beware of my magic."

"Thy magic could not save Twala, old she-wolf, and it
cannot hurt me," was the answer. " Listen: I will this of
thee, that thou reveal where is the chamber where are the
shining stones."

"Ha! ha!" she piped, "none know but I, and I will
never tell thee. The white devils shall go hence empty-
handed."

" Thou wilt tell me. I will make thee tell me."

" How, O king ?" Thou art great, but can thy power
wring the truth from a woman ?"

" It is difficult, yet will I do it."

" How, O king?"

"Nay, thus; i£ thou tellest not thou shalt slowly die."

" Die !" she shrieked, in terror and fury; " ye dare not
touch me — man, ye know not who I am. How old think
ye am I ? I knew your fathers, and your fathers' fathers'
fathers. When the country was young I was here, when
the country grows old I shall still be here. I cannot die
unless I be killed by chance, for none dare slay me."

" Yet will I slay thee. See, Gagool, mother of evil, thou
art so old thou canst no longer love thy life. What can
life be to such a hag as thee, who hast no shape, nor form,
nor hair, nor teeth — hast naught, save wickedness and evil
eyes ? It will be mercy to slay thee, Gagool."

" Thou fool," shrieked the old fiend, " thou accursed fool,
thinkest thou that life is sweet only to the young ? It is
not so, and naught thou knowest of the heart of man to

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216

think it. To the young, indeed^ death is sometimes wel-
come, for the young can feel. They love and suffer, and
it wrings them to see their beloved pass to the land of
shadows. But the old feel not, they love not, and, ha! ha!
they laugh to see another go out into the dark ; ha ! ha !
they laugh to see the evil that is dene under the sun. All
they love is life, the warm, warm sun, and the sweet, sweet
air. They are afraid of the cold; afraid of the cold and the
dark, ha ! ha ! ha !" and the old hag writhed in ghastly
merriment on the ground.

" Cease thine evil talk and answer me," said Ignosi,
angrily. " Wilt thou show the place where the stones are,
or wilt thou not ? If thou wilt not, thou diest, even now,"
and he seized a spear and held it over her.

^^ I will not show it; thou darest not kill me, darest not.
He who slays me will be accursed forever."

Slowly Ignosi brought down the spear till it pricked the
prostrate heap of rags.

With a wild yell she sprang to her feet, and then again
fell and rolled upon the floor.

" Nay; I will show it. Only let me live, let me sit in the
sun and have a bit of meat to suck, and I will show thee."

"It is well. I thought I should find a way to reason
with thee. To-morrow shalt thou go with Infadoos and
my white brothers to the place, and beware how thou
failest, for if thou showest it not, then shalt thou slowly
die. I have spoken."

" I will not fail^ Ignosi. I always keep my word: ha!
ha! Tm! Once a woman showed the place to a white man
before, and behold evil befell him," and here her wicked
eyes glinted. " Her name was Gagool, too. Perchance I
was that woman.!'

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KING Solomon's mines. 217

" Thou liest," I said, " that was ten generations gone."
"Mayhap, mayhap; when one lives long one forgets.
Perhaps it was my mother's mother who told me ; surely
her name was Gagool, also. But mark, ye will find in the
place where the bright playthings are a bag of hide full
of stones. The man filled that bag, but he never took it
away. Evil befell him, I say; evil befell him I Perhaps
it was my mother's mother who told me. It will be a
merry journey — we can see the bodies of those who died
in the battle as we go. Their eyes will be gone by now,
and their ribs will be hollow. Ha ! ha ! ha !"

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CHAPTER XVL

THE PLACE OF DEATH.

It was already dark on the third day after the scene
described in the previous chapter, when we camped in
some huts at the foot of the " Three Witches," as the tri-
angle of mountains was called to which Solomon's Great
Road ran. Our party consisted of our three selves and
Foulata, who waited on us — especially on Good — ^Inf adoos,
Gagool, who was borne along in a litter, inside which she
could be heard muttering and cursing all day long, and a
party of guards and attendants. The mountains, or rather
the three peaks of the mountains, for the whole mass evi-
dently consisted of a solitary upheaval, were, as I have
said, in the form of a triangle, of which the base was tow-
ards us, one peak being on our right, one on our left,
and one straight in front of us. Never shall I forget the
sight afforded by those three towering peaks in the early
sunlight of the following morning. High, high above us,
up into the blue air, soared their twisted snow-wreaths.
Beneath the snow the peaks were purple with heath, and
so were the wild moors that ran up the slopes towards
them. Straight before us the white ribbon of Solomon's
Great Road stretched away up-hill to the foot of the centre
peak, about five miles from us, and then stopped. It was
its terminus.

I had better leave the feelings of intense excitement with
which we set out on our march that morning to the imagi-

KING Solomon's mines. 219

nation of those who read this history. At last we were
drawing near to the wonderful mines that had been the
cause of the miserable death of the old Portuguese don,
three centuries ago, of my poor friend, his ill-starred de-
scendant, and also, as we feared, of George Curtis, Sir
Henry's brother. Were we destined, after all that we had
gone through, to fare any better? Evil befell them, as
thatoldfiend, Gagool, said; would it also befall us ? Some-
how, as we were marching up that last stretch of beauti-
ful road, I could not help feeling a little superstitious about
the matter, and so, I think, did Good and Sir Henry.

For an hour and a half or more we tramped on up the
heather-fringed road, going so fast in our excitement that
the bearers with Gagool's hammock could scarcely keep
pace with us, and its occupant piped out to us to stop.

" Go more slowly, white men," she said, projecting her
hideous, shrivelled countenance between the curtains, and
fixing her gleaming eyes upon us ; " why will ye run to
meet the evil that shall befall ye, ye seekers after treas-
ure?" and she laughed that horrible laugh which always
sent a cold shiver down my back, and which for a while
quite took the enthusiasm out of us.

However, on we went, till we saw before us, and between
ourselves and the peak, a vast circular hole with sloping
sides, three hundred feet or more in depth, and quite half
a mile round.

" Can't you guess what this is ?" I said to Sir Henry and
Good, who were staring in astonishment down into the
awful pit before us.

They shook their heads.

"Then it is clear that you have never seen the diamond
mines at Kimberley. You may depend on h that this is

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220 KING SOLOMOK^S UnTBS.

Solomon's diamond mine; look there," I said, pointing to
the stiff blue clay which was yet to be seen among the
grass and bashes which clothed the sides of the pit, '^ the
formation is the same. I'll be bound that if we went
down there we should find * pipes ' of soapy, brecciated
rock. Look, too," and I pointed to a series of worn, flat
slabs of rock which were placed on a gentle slope below
the level of a watercourse which had in some past age been
cut out of the solid rock; ^^if those are not tables once
used to wash the * stuff,' I'm a Dutchman."

At the edge of this vast hole, which was the pit marked
on the old don's map, the great road branched into two
and circumvented it. In many places this circumventing
road was built entirely of vast blocks of stone, apparently
with the object of supporting the edges of the pit and pre-
venting falls of reef. Along this road we pressed, driven
by curiosity to see what the three towering objects were
which we could discern from the hither side of the great
hole. As we got nearer we perceived that they were
colossi of some sort or another, and rightly conjectured
that these were the three " Silent Ones" that were held in
such awe by the Kukuana people. But it was not until we
got quite close that we recognized the full majesty of these
"Silent Ones."

There, upon huge pedestals of dark rock, sculptured in
unknown characters, twenty paces between each, and look-
ing down the road which crossed some sixty miles of plain
to Loo, were three colossal seated forms — two males and
one female — each measuring about twenty feet from the
crown of the head to the pedestal.

The female form, which was nude, was of great though
severe beauty, but unfortunately the features were injured

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KING Solomon's mines. 221

by centuries of exposure to the weather. Rising from each
side of her head were the points of a crescent. The two
male colossi were, on the contrary, draped, and presented a
terrifying cast of features, especially the one to our right,
which had the face of a devil. That to our left was serene
in countenance, but the calm upon it was dreadful. It was
the calm of inhuman cruelty, the cruelty. Sir Henry re-
marked, that the ancients attributed to beings potent for
good, who could yet watch the sufferings of humanity, if
not with rejoicing, at least without suffering themselves.
The three formed a most awe-inspiring trinity, as they sat
there in their solitude and gazed out across the plain for-
ever. Contemplating these " Silent Ones," as the Kukuanas
called them, an intense curiosity again seized us to know
whose were the hands that had shaped them, who was it
that had dug the pit and made the road. While I was
gazing and wondering, it suddenly occurred to me (being
familiar with the Old Testament) that Solomon went
astray after strange gods, the names of three of whom I
remembered — " Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians,
Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of
the children of Ammon " — and 1 suggested to my compan-
ions that the three figures before us might represent these
false divinities.

" Hum," said Sir Henry, who was a scholar, having taken
a high degree in classics at college, " there may be some-
thing in that; Ashtoreth of the Hebrews was the Astarte
of the Phcenicians, who were the great traders of Solomon's
time. Astarte, who afterwards was the Aphrodite of the
Greeks, was represented with horns like the half-moon, and
there on the brow of the female figure are distinct horns.
Perhaps these colossi were designed by some Phoenician
official who managed the mines. Who can say ?"

222

Before we had finished examining these extraordinary
relics of remote antiquity, Inf adoos came up, and, having
saluted the " Silent Ones " by lifting his spear, asked us if
we intended entering the " Place of Death " at once, or if
we would wait till after we had taken food at midday.
If we were ready to go at once, Gagool had announced her
willingness to guide us. As it was not more than eleven
o'clock, we — driven to it by a burning curiosity — announced
our intention of proceeding at once, and I suggested that,
in case we should be detained in the cave, we should take
some food with us. Accordingly Gagool's litter was
brought up, and that lady herself assisted out of it; and
meanwhile Foulata, at my request, stored some biltong,
or dried game-flesh, together with a couple of gourds of
water in a reed basket. Straight in front of us, at a dis-
tance of some fifty paces from the backs of the colossi, rose
a sheer wall of rock, eighty feet or more in height, that
gradually sloped up till it formed the base of the lofty
snow-wreathed peak which soared up into the air three
thousand feet above us. As soon as she was clear of her
hammock Gagool cast one evil grin upon us, and then,
leaning on a stick, hobbled off towards the sheer face of
the rock. We followed her till we came to a narrow portal
solidly arched, that looked like the opening of a galleiy of
a mine.

Here Gagool was waiting for us, still with that evil grin
upon her horrid face.

" Now, white men from the stars,'* she piped; " great
warriors, Incubu, Bougwan, and Macumazahn the wise,
are ye ready ? Behold, I am here to do the bidding of my
lord the king, and to show ye the store of bright stones."

" We are ready," I said.

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KING Solomon's mines. 223

" Good I good ! Make strong your hearts to bear what
ye shall see. Comest thou too, Inf adoos, who betrayed thy
master ?''

Infadoos frowned as he answered:

" Nay, I come not; it is not for me to enter there. But
thou, Gagool, curb thy tongue, and beware how thou deal-
est with my lords. At thy hands will I require them, and
if a hair of them be hurt, Gagool, be thou fifty times a
witch, thou shalt die. Hearest thou ?"

" I hear, Infadoos; I know thee, thou didst ever love big
words; when thou wast a babe I remember thou didst
threaten thine own mother. That was but the other day.
But fear not, fear not ; I live but to do the bidding of the
king. I have done the bidding of many kings, Infadoos,
till in the end they did mine. Ha I ha I I go to look
upon their faces once more, and Twala's, too I Come on,
come on, here is the lamp,'' and she drew a great gourd
full of oil, and fitted with a rush wick, from under her fur
cloak.

w "Art thou coming, Foulata?" asked Good in his villa-
nous kitchen Kukuana, in which he had been improving
himself under that lady's tuition.

" I fear, my lord," the girl answered, timidly.

"Then give me the basket."

" Nay, my lord, whither thou goest, there will I go also."

" The deuce you will!" thought I to myself; " that will
be rather awkward if ever we get out of this."

Without further ado Gagool plunged into the passage,
which was wide enough to admit of two walking abreast,
and quite dark, we following her voice as she piped to us
to come on, in some fear and trembling, which was not
allayed by the sound of a sudden rush of wine

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224

"Hallo I what's that?" halloed Good; "somebody hit
me in the face."

"Bats," said I; "on you go."

When we Had, as far as we could judge, gone some fifty
paces we perceived that the passage was growing faintly
light. Another minute, and we stood in the most wonder-
ful place that the eyes of living man ever lit on.

Let the reader picture to himself the hall of the vastest
cathedral he ever stood in, windowless, indeed, but dimly
lighted from above (presumably by shafts connected with
the outer air and driven in the roof, which arched away a
hundred feet above our heads), and he will get some idea
of the size of the enormous cave in which we stood, with
the difference that this cathedral designed of nature was
loftier and wider than any built by man. But its stupen-
dous size was the least of the wonders of the place, for,
running in rows adown its length were gigantic pillars of
what looked like ice, but were, in reality, huge stalactites.
It is impossible for me to convey any idea of the over-
powering beauty and grandeur of these pillars of white
spar, some of which were not less than twenty feet in
diameter at the base, and sprang up in lofty and yet deli-
cate beauty sheer to the distant roof. Others again were
in process of formation. On the rock floor there was in
these cases what looked. Sir Henry said, exactly like a
broken column in an old Grecian temple, while high above,
depending from the roof, the point of a huge icicle could
be dimly seen. And even as we gazed we could hear the
process going on, for presently with a tiny splash a drop
of water would fall from the far-off icicle on to the column
below. On some columns the drops only fell once in two
or three minutes, and in these cases it would form an in-

225

teresting calculation to discover how long, at that rate of
dripping, it would take to form a pillar, say eighty feet
high by ten in diameter. That the process was, in at least
one instance, incalculably slow, the following instance will
suffice to show. Cut on one of these pillars we discovered
a rude likeness of a mummy, by the head of which sat
what appeared to be one of the Egyptian gods, doubtless
the handiwork of some old-world laborer in the mine.
This work of art was executed at about the natural height
at which an idle fellow, be he Phcenician workman or
British cad, is in the habit of trying to immortalize him-
self at the expense of nature's masterpieces, namely, about
five feet from the ground; yet at the time that we saw it,
which mibst have, been nearly three thousand years after
the date of the execution of the drawing, the column was
only eight feet high, and was still in process of formation,
which gives a rate of growth of a foot to a thousand years,
or an inch and a fraction to a century. This we knew be-
cause, as we were standing by it, we heard a drop of water
faU.

Sometimes the stalactites took strange forms, presumably
where th^ dropping of the water had not always been on
the same spot. Thus, one huge mass, which must have
weighed a hundred tons or so, was in the form of a pulpit,
beautifully fretted over outside with what looked like lace.
Others resembled strange beasts, and on the sides of the
cave were fan-like ivory tracings, such as the frost leaves
upon a pane.

Out of the vast main aisle there opened here and there
smaller caves, exactly, Sir Henry said, as chapels open out
of great cathedrals. Some were large, but one or two —
and this is a wonderful instance of how Nature carries out

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226 KING Solomon's mines.

her handiwork by the same unvarying laws, utterly irre-
spective of size — ^were tiny. One little nook, for instance,
was no larger than an unusually big doll's house, and yet
it might have been the model of the whole place, for the
water dropped, the tiny icicles hung, and the spar columns
were forming in just the same way.

We had not time, however, to examine this beautiful
place as thoroughly as we should have liked to do, for
unfortunately Gagool seemed to be indifferent to stalac-
tites, and only anxious to get her business over. This an-
noyed me the more, as I was particularly anxious to dis-
cover, if possible, by what system the light was admitted
into the place, and whether it was by the hand of man or
of nature that this was done; also if it had been used in
any way in ancient times, as seemed probable. However,
we consoled ourselves with the idea that we would examine
it thoroughly on our return, and followed on after our un-
canny guide.

On she led us, straight to the top of the vast and silent
cave, where we found another doorway, not arched fts the
first was, but square at the top, something like the door-
ways of Egyptian temples.

" Are ye prepared to enter the Place of Death ?'' asked
Gagool, evidently with a view to making us feel uncom-
fortable.

" Lead on, Macduff," said Good, solemnly, trying to
look as though he was not at all alarmed, as indeed did we
all except Foulata, who caught Good by the arm for pro-
tection.

" This is getting rather ghastly," said Sir Henry, peep-
ing into the dark doorway. "Come on, Quatermain—
seniores priores. Don't keep the old lady waiting !'' and

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KING Solomon's mines. 227

he politely made way for me to lead the van, for which I
inwardly did not bless him.

Tap, tap, went old Gagool's stick down the passage,
as she trotted along, chuckling hideously; and, still over-
come by some unaccountable presentiment of evil, I hung
back.

" Come, get on, old fellow,'' said Good, " or we shall lose
our fair guide."

Thus adjured, I started down the passage, and after
about twenty paces found myself in a gloomy apartment
some forty feet long by thirty broad and thirty high,
which in some past age had evidently been hollowed, by
hand-labor, out of the mountain. This apartment was not
nearly so well lighted as the vast stalactite ante-cave, and
at the first glance all I could make out was a massive stone
table running its length, with a colossal white figure at its
head, and life-sized white figures all round it. Next I
made out a brown thing, seated on the table in the centre,
and in another moment my eyes grew accustomed to the
light, and I saw what all these things were, and I was tail-
ing out of it as hard as my legs would carry me. I am not
a nervous man, in a general way, and very little troubled
with superstitions, of which I have lived to see the folly;
but I am free to own that that sight quite upset me, and
had it not been that Sir Henry caught me by the collar
and held me, I do honestly believe that in another five
minutes I should have been outside that stalactite cave, and
that the promise of all the diamonds in Kimberley would
not have induced me to enter it again. But he held me
tight, so I stopped because I could not help myself. But
next second his eyes got accustomed to the light, too, and
he let go of me and began to mop the perspiration off

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228

his forehead. As for Good, he swore f eebly, and Foolata
threw her arms round his neck and shrieked.

Only Gagool chuckled loud and long.

It was a ghastly sight. There at the end of the long
8ton^ table, holding in his skeleton fingers a great white
spear, sat Death himself, shaped in the form of a colossal
human skeleton, fifteen feet or more in height. High
above his head he held the spear, as though in the act of
striking; one bony hand rested on the stone table before
him, in the position a man assumes on rising from his seat,
while his frame was bent forward so that the vertebrae of
the neck and the grinning, gleaming skull projected tow-
ards us and fixed its hollow eye-places upon us, the jaws
a little open, as though it were about to speak.

" Great heavens !" said I, faintly, at last, "what can it
be?"

"And what are those things?^'* said Good, pointing to
the white company round the table.

"And what on earth is that thing f'*'^ said Sir Henry,
pointing to the brown creature seated on the table.

" Hee I hee ! bee I" laughed Gagool. " To those who
enter the Hall of the Dead, evil comes. Hee ! hee ! hee !
ha ! ha I"

" Come, Incubu, brave in battle, come and see him thou
slewest;" and the old creature caught his coat in her
skinny fingers, and led him away towards the table. We
followed.

Presently she stopped and pointed at the brown object
seated on the table. Sir Henry looked, and started back
with an exclamation ; and no wonder, for there seated,
quite naked, on the table, the head which Sir Henry's
battle-axe had shorn from the body resting on its knees,

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KING Solomon's mines. 229

was the gaunt corpse of Twala, last king of the Kukuanas.
Yes, there, the head perched upon the knees, it sat in all
its ugliness, the yertebrse projecting a full in«h above the
level of the shrunken flesh of the neck, for all the world
like a black double of Hamilton Tighe.* Over the whole
surface of the corpse there was gathered a thin, glassy film,
which made its appearance yet more appalling, and for
which we were, at the moment, quite unable to account,
till we presently observed that from the roof of the cham-
ber the water fell steadily, drip I drip I drip I on to the
neck of the corpse, from whence it ran down over the entire
surface, and finally escaped into the rock through a tiny
hole in the table. Then I guessed what it was — T\oald?8
body was being transformed into a stalactite.

A look at the white forms seated on the stone bench that
ran around that ghastly board confirmed this view. They
were human forms, indeed, or rather had been human forms;
now they were stalactites. This was the way in which the
Kukuana people had from time immemorial preserved their
royal dead. They petrified them. What the exact system
was, if there was any beyond placing them for a long period
of years under the drip, I never discovered, but there they
sat, iced over and preserved forever by the sUicious fluid.
Anything more awe-inspiring than the spectacle of this
long line of departed royalties, wrapped in a shroud of
ice-like spar, through which the features could be dimly
made out (there were twenty-seven of them, the last being
Ignosi's father), and seated round that inhospitable board,
with Death himself for a host, it is impossible to imagine.

* "Now haste ye, my handmaidens, haste and see

How he sits there and glowers with his head on lua^knee.''

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230 KING Solomon's minks.

That the practice of thus preserving their kings must have
been an ancient one is evident from the number^ which,
allowing for an average reign of fifteen years, would, sup-
posing that every king who reigned was placed here — an
improbable thing, as some are sure to have perished in
battle far from home — fix the date of its commencement
at four and a quarter centuries back. But the colossal
Death who sits at the head of the board is far older than
that, and, unless I am much mistaken, owes his origin to
the same artist who designed the three colossi. He was
hewn out of a single stalactite, and, looked at as a work
of art, was most admirably conceived and executed. Good,
who understood anatomy, declared that, so far as he could
see, the anatomical design of the skeleton was perfect down
to the smallest bones.

My own idea is that this terrific object was a freak of
fancy on the part of some old-world sculptor, and that its
presence had suggested to the Kukuanas the idea of plac-
ing their royal dead under its awful presidency. Or per-
haps it was placed there to frighten away any marauders
who might have designs upon the treasure-chamber beyond.
I cannot say. All I can do is to describe it as it is, and the
reader must form his own conclusion.

Such, at any rate, was the white Death and such were the
white dead !

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CHAPTER XVII.

Solomon's tbbasube-chambeb.

While we bad been engaged in getting over our f rigbt,
and in examining tbe grisly wonders of tbe place, Gagool
bad been differently occupied. Somebow or otber — for sbe
was marvellously active wben sbe cbose — sbe bad scrambled
on to tbe great table and made ber way to wbere our de-
parted friend Twala was placed under tbe drip, to see,
suggested Good, bow be was " pickling,'' or for some dark
purpose of ber own. Tben sbe came bobbling back, stop-
ping now and again to address a remark (tbe tenor of
wbicb I could not catcb) to one or otber of tbe sbrouded
forms, just as you or I migbt greet an old acquaintance.
Having gone tbrougb tbis mysterious and borrible cere-
mony, sbe squatted berself down on tbe table immediately
under tbe wbite Deatb, and began, so far as I could make
out, to offer up prayers to it. Tbe spectacle of tbis wicked
old creature pouring out supplications (evil ones, no doubt)
to tbe arcb- enemy of mankind was so uncanny tbat it
caused us to basten our inspection.

" Now, Gagool," said I, in a low voice — somebow one
did not dare to speak above a wbisper in tbat place — " lead
us to tbe cbamber."

Tbe old creature promptly scrambled down off tbe table.

" My lords are not afraid ?" sbe said, leering up into my
face.

" Lead on."

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232 KINa SOLOMON'S MINES.

" Good, my lords ;" and she hobbled round to the back
of the great Death. "Here is the chamber ; let my lords
light the lamp, and enter," and she placed the gourd full
of oil upon the floor, and leaned herself against the side
of the cave. I took out a match, of which we still had a
few in a box, and lit the rush wick, and then looked for
the doorway, but there was nothing before us but the solid
rock. Gagool grinned. " The way is there, my lords."

" Do not jest with us," I said, sternly.

" I jest not, my lords. See I" and she pointed at the
rock.

As she did so, on holding up the lamp we perceived that
a mass of stone was slowly rising from the floor and van-
ishing into the rock above, where doubtless there was a
cavity prepared to receive it. The mass was of the width
of a good-sized door, about ten feet high and not less than
five feet thick. It must have weighed at least twenty or
thirty tons, and was clearly moved upon some simple bal-
ance principle, probably the same as that upon which the
opening and shutting of an ordinary modem window is
arranged. How the principle was set in motion, of course
none of us saw; Gagool was careful to avoid that; but I
have little doubt that there was some very simple lever,
which was moved ever so little by pressure on a secret
spot, thereby throwing additional weight on to the hidden
counterbalances, and causing the whole huge mass to be
lifted from the ground. Very slowly and gently the great
stone raised itself, till at last it had vanished altogether,
and a dark hole presented itself to us in the place which
it had filled.

Our excitement was so intense, as we saw the way to
Solomon's treasure-chamber at last thrown opemthat I for

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KING Solomon's mines. 233

one began to tremble and shake. Would it prove a hoax
after all, I wondered, or was old Da Silvestra right ? and
were there vast hoards of wealth stored in that dark place,
hoards which would make us the richest men in the whole
world ? We should know in a minute or two.

" Enter, white men from the stars," said Gagool, advanc-
ing into the doorway; "but first hear your servant, Ga-
gaoola the old. The bright stones that ye will see were
dug out of the pit over which the Silent Ones are set, and
stored here, I know not by whom. But once has this place
been entered since the time that those who stored the
stones departed in haste, leaving them behind. The re-
port of the treasure went down among the people who
lived in the country from age to age, but none knew where
the chamber was, nor the secret of the door. But it hap-
pened that a white man reached this country from over
the mountains, perchance he too came 'from the stars,'
and was well received of the king of the day. He it is
who sits yonder," and she pointed to the fifth king at the
table of the dead. '^ And it came to pass that he and a
woman of the country who was with him came to this
place, and that by chance the woman learned the secret
of the door — a thousand years might ye search, but ye
should never find it. Then the white man entered with
the woman and found the stones, and filled with stonei^
the skin of a small goat, which the woman had with her
to hold food. And as he was going from the chamber he
took up one more stone, a large one, and held it in his
hand." Here she paused.

" Well," I asked, breathless with interest, as we all were,
" what happened to Da Silvestra ?"

The old hag started at the mention of the name.

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234 KDXQ SOLOMON^S MTNUa.

** How knowest thou the dead man's name ?" she asked,
sharply; and then, without waiting for an answer, went
on —

^^None knew what happened; but it came about that
the white man was frightened, for he flung down the goat-
skin with the stones, and fled out with only the one
stone in his hand, and that the king took, and it is the
stone that thou, Macumazahn, didst take from Twala's
brows.'*

" Have none entered here since ?** I asked, peering again
down the dark passage.

"None, my lords. Only the secret of the door hath
been kept, and every king hath opened it, though he hath
not entered. There is a saying, that those who enter there
will die within a moon, even as the white man died in the
cave upon the mountain,where ye found him, Macumazahn.
Hal ha! mine are true words."

Our eyes met as she said it, and I turned sick and cold.
How did the old hag know all these things ?

"Enter, my lords. If I speak truth the goat-skin with
the stones will lie upon the floor; and if there is truth as
to whether it is death to enter here, that will ye learn af-
terwards. Ha! ha! ha!" And she hobbled through the
doorway, bearing the light with her; but I confess that
once more I hesitated about following.

" Oh, confound it all !" said Good, " here goes. I am
not going to be frightened by that old devil;" and, followed
by Foulata, who, however, evidently did not at all like the
job, for she was shivering with fear, he plunged into the
passage after Gagool — an example which we quickly fol-
lowed.

A few yards down the passasre, in the narroWiWay hewn

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KING Solomon's mines. 235

out of the living rock, Gagool had paused, and was waiting
for us.

" See, my lords," she said, holding the light before her,
" those who stored the treasure here fled in haste, and be-
thought them to guard against any who should find the
secret of the door, but had not the time," and she pointed
to large sqaare blocks of stone, which had, to the height
of two courses (about two feet three), been placed across
the passage with a view to walling it up. Along the side
of the passage were similar blocks ready for use, and, most
curious of all, a heap of mortar and a couple of trowels,
which, so far as we had time to examine them, appeared
to be of a similar shape and make to those used by work-
men of this day.

Here Foulata, who had throughout been in a state of
great fear and agitation, said that she felt faint and could
go no farther, but would wait there. Accordingly we
set her down on the unfinished wall, placing the basket of
provisions by her side, and left her to recover.

Following the passage for about fifteen paces farther, we
suddenly came to an elaborately painted wooden door. It
was standing wide open. Whoever was last there had
either not had the time, or had forgotten to shut it.

Across the threshold lay a skin hag ^formed of a goat-
skin^ that appeared to he fuU of pehhles.

" Heel hee! white men," sniggered Gagool, as the light
from the lamp fell upon it. " What did I tell ye, that the
white man who came here fled in haste, and dropped the
woman's bag — ^behold it!"

Good stooped down and lifted it. It was heavy and
jingled.

" By Jove! I believe it*s full of diamonds^' he said, in

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KING Solomon's mikbs.

an awed whisper; and, indeed, the idea of a small goat-
skin full of diamonds is enough to awe anybody.

" Go on," said Sir Henry, impatiently. " Here, old lady,
give me the lamp," and, taking it from Gagool's hand, he
stepped through the doorway and held it high above his
head.

We pressed in after him, forgetful, for the moment, of
the bag of diamonds, and found ourselves in Solomon's
treasure-chamber.

At first, all that the somewhat faint light given by the
lamp revealed was a room hewn out of the living rock, and
apparently not more than ten feet square. Next there
came into sight, stored one on the other as high as the
roof, a splendid collection of elephant-tusks. How many
of them there were we did not know, for of course we
could not see how far they went back, but there could not
have been less than the ends of four or five hundred tusks
of the first quality visible to our eyes. There, alone^ was
enough ivory before us to make a man wealthy for life.
Perhaps, I thought, it was from this very store that Solo-
mon drew his material for his " great throne of ivory," of
which there was not the like made in any kingdom.

On the opposite side of the chamber were about a score
of wooden boxes, something like Martini - Henry ammu-
nition boxes, only rather larger, and painted red.

" There are the diamonds," cried I ; " bring the light."

Sir Henry did so, holding it close to the top box, of
which the lid, rendered rotten by time even in that dry
place, appeared to have been smashed in, probably by Da
Silvestra himself. Pushing my hand through the hole in
the lid I drew it out full, not of diamonds, but of gold
pieces, of a shape that none of us had seen before, and

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KING Solomon's mines. 237

with what looked like Hebrew characters stamped upon
them.

"Ah!" I said, replacing the coin, "we sha'n't go back
empty-handed, anyhow. There must be a couple of thou-
sand pieces in each box, and there are eighteen boxes. I
suppose it was the money to pay the workmen and mer-
chants."

"Well," put in Good, "I think that is the lot ; I don't
see any diamonds, unless the old Portuguese put them all
into this bag."

" Let my lords look yonder where it is darkest, if they
would find the stones," said Gagool, interpreting our looks.
" There my lords will find a nook, and three stone chests
in the nook, two sealed and one open."

Before interpreting this to Sir Henry, who had the light,
I could not resist asking how she knew these things, if no
one had entered the place since the white.man, generations
ago.

" Ah, Macumazahn, who watchest by night," was the
mocking answer, "ye who live in the stars, do ye not know
that some have eyes that can see through rock ?"

" Look in that comer, Curtis," I said, indicating the spot
Gagool had pointed out.

" Hallo, you fellows," he said, " here's a recess. Great
heavens I look here."

We hurried up to where he was standing in a nook,
something like a small bow- window. Against the wall of
this recess were placed three stone chests, each about two
feet square. Two were fitted with stone lids, the lid of
the third rested against the side of the chest, which was
open.

"ioo*/" he repeated, hoarsely, holding the lamp over

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238 KING Solomon's minss.

the open chest. We looked^ and for a moment could make
nothing out, on account of a silvery sheen that dazzled us.
When our eyes got used to it we saw that the chest was
three-parts full of uncut diamonds, most of them of con-
siderable size. Stooping, I picked some up. Yes, there
was no mistake about it, there was the unmistakable soapy
feel about them.

I fairly gasped as I dropped them.

" We are the richest men in the whole world,'' I said.
" Monte Cristo is a fool to us."

" We shall flood the market with diamonds," said Gtood,

" Got to get them there first," suggested Sir Henry.

And we stood with pale faces and stared at each other,
with the lantern in the middle, and the glimmering gems
below, as though we were conspirators about to conmiit
a crime, instead of being, as we thought, the three most
fortunate men on earth.

" Hee I hee I hee !" Went old Gagool behind us, as she
flitted about like a vampire bat. " There are the bright
stones that ye love, white men, as many as ye will ; take
them, run them through your fingers, eat of them, hee !
bee I drink of them, ha ! ha !"

There was something so ridiculous at that moment to
my mind in the idea of eating and drinking diamonds, that
I began to laugh outrageously, an example which the oth-
ers followed, without knowing why. There we stood and
shrieked with laughter over the gems which were ours,
which had been found for us thousands of years ago by
the patient delvers in the great hole yonder, and stored
for ics by Solomon's long-dead overseer, whose name, per-
chance, was written in the characters stamped on the f ade4
wax that yet adhered to the lids of the chests Solomon

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KING Solomon's mines. 239

nerer got them, nor David, nor Da Silvestra, nor anybody
else. We had got them ; there before us were millions
of pounds' worth of diamonds, and thousands of pounds'
worth of gold and ivory, only waiting to be taken away.

Suddenly the fit passed off, and we stopped laughing.

" Open the other chests, white men, croaked Gagool,
"there are surely more therein. Take your fill, white
lords !"

Thus adjured, we set to work to pull up the stone lids
on the other two, finjt — not without a feeling of sacrilege
— ^breaking the seals that fastened them.

Hoorah ! they were full too, full to the brim ; at least
the second one was ; no wretched Da Silvestra had been
filling goat-skins out of that. As for the third chest, it
was only about a fourth full, but the stones were all picked
ones; none less than twenty carats, and some of them as
large as pigeon-eggs. Some of these biggest ones, how-
ever, we could see by holding them up to the light, were a
little yellow, " off colored," as they call it at Kimberley.

What we did not see, however, was the look of fearful
malevolence that old Gagool favored us with as she crept,
crept like a snake, out of the treasure-chamber and down
the passage towards the massive door of solid rock.

Hark 1 Cry upon cry comes ringing up the vaulted
path. It is Foulata's voice !

" Oh, Bougwan ! help ! help ! the rock falU /"

" Leave go, girl 1 Then — "

" Selp t help! she has stabbed me /"

By now we are running down the passage, and this is
what the light from the lamp falls on. The door of rock
is slowly closing down ; it is not three feet f rc^ the fioor.

240 KING Solomon's mines.

Near it struggle Fonlata and Gagool. The red blood of
the former runs to her knee, bat still the brave girl holds
the old witch, who fights like a wildcat. Ah ! she is free !
Foulata falls, and Gagool throws herself on the ground, to
twist herself like a snake through the crack of the closing
stone. She is under — ^ah, God ! too late ! too late ! The
stone nips her, and she yells in agony. Down, down, it
comes, all the thirty tons of it, slowly pressing her old
body against the rock below. Shriek upon shriek, such as
we never heard, then a long, sickening crunch^ and the door
was shut just as we, rushing down the passage, hurled our-
selves against it.

It was all done in four seconds.

Then we turned to Foulata. The poor girl was stabbed
in the body, and could not, I saw, live long.

" Ah ! Bougwan, I die !" gasped the beautiful creature.
" She crept out — Gagool ; I did not see her, I was faint —
and the door began to fall ; then she came back, and was
looking up the path — and I saw her come in through the
slowly falling door, and caught her and held her, and she
stabbed me, and I die^ Bougwan."

" Poor girl ! poor girl !" Good cried ; and then, as he
could do nothing else, he fell to kissing her.

"Bougwan," she said, after a pause, "is Macumazahn
there ? it grows so dark, I cannot see."

" Here I am, Foulata."

" Macumazahn, be my tongue for a moment, I pray thee,
for Bougwan cannot understand me, and before I go into
the darkness — I would speak a word."

** Say on, Foulata, I will render it."

" Say to my lord, Bougwan, that — I love him, and that
I am glad to die because I know that he capnot cumber

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241

his life with such as me, for the sun cannot mate with the
darkness, nor the white with the black.

"Say that at times I have felt as though there were a
bird in my bosom, which would one day fly hence and sing
elsewhere ; even now, though I cannot lift my hand, and
my brain grows cold, I do not feel as though my heart
were dying ; it is so full of love that could live a thousand
years, and yet be young. Say that if I live again, may-
hap I shall see him in the stars, and that — I will search
them all, though perchance I should there still be black
and he would — still be white. Say — ^nay, Macumazahn,
say no more, save that I love — Oh, hold me closer, Boug-
wan, I cannot feel thine arms — oh! ohP^

" She is dead — she is dead !" said Good, rising in grief,
the tears running down his honest face.

" You need not let that trouble you, old fellow," said
Sir Henry.

"Eh !" said Good; "what do you mean?"

" I mean that you will soon be in a position to join her.
Marij donH you see that we are buried alive .^"

Until Sir Henry uttered these words, I do not think the
full horror of what had happened had come home to us,
preoccupied as we were with the sight of poor Foulata's
end. But now we understood. The ponderous mass of
rock had closed, probably forever, for the only brain which
knew its secret was crushed to powder beneath it. This
was a door that none could hope to force with anything
short of dynamite in large quantities. And we were the
wrong side of it !

For a few minutes we stood horrified there over the
corpse of Foulata. All the manhood seemed to have gone
out of us. The first shock of this idea of the. sIoWt and

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242 KING Solomon's mikes.

miserable end that awaited as was overpowering. We
saw it all now; that fiend, Gagool, had planned this snare
for us from the first. It would have been just the jest that
her evil mind would have rejoiced in, the idea of the three
white men, whom, for some reason of her own, she had al-
ways hated, slowly perishing of thirst and hunger in the
company of the treasure they had coveted. I saw the
point of that sneer of hers about eating and drinking the
diamonds now. Perhaps somebody had tried to serve the
poor old don in the same way, when he abandoned the skin
full of jewels.

"This will never do," said Sir Henry, hoarsely ; "the
lamp will soon go out. Let us see if we can't find the
spring that works the rock."

We sprang forward with desperate energy, and, stand-
ing in a bloody ooze, began to feel up and down the door
and the sides of the passage. But no knob or spring could
we discover.

" Depend on it," I said, " it does not work from the in-
side; if it did Gagool would not have risked trying to
crawl underneath the stone. It was the knowledge of this
that made her try to escape at all hazard, curse her."

" At all events," said Sir Henry, with a hard little laugh,
"retribution was swift; hers was almost as awful an end
as ours is likely to be. We can do nothing with the door ;
let us go back to the treasure -room." We turned and
went, and as we did so I perceived by the unfinished wall
across the passage the basket of food which poor Foulata
had carried. I took it up and brought it with me back to
that accursed treasure-chamber that was to be our grave.
Then we went back and reverently bore in Foulata's corpse,
laying it on the floor by the boxes of coin.

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243

Next we seated ourselves, leaning our backs against the
three stone chests of priceless treasures.

"Let us divide the food," said Sir Henry, "so as to
make it last as long as possible." Accordingly we did so.
It would, we reckoned, make four infinitesimally small
meals for each of us ; enough, say, to support life for a
couple of days. Besides the biltong, or dried game-flesh,
there were two gourds of water, each holding about a
quart.

"Now," said Sir Henry, "let us eat and drink, for to-
morrow we die."

We each ate a small portion of the biltong, and drank
a sip of water. We had, needless to say, but little appe-
tite, though we were sadly in need of food, and felt better
after swallowing it. Then we got up and made a sys-
tematic examination of the walls of our prison-house, in
the faint hope of finding some means of exit, sounding
them and the floor carefully.

There was none. It was not probable that there would
be one to a treasure- chamber.

The lamp began to bum dim. The fat was nearly ex-
hausted.

" Quatermain," said Sir Henry, " what is the time — ^your
watch goes ?"

I drew it out and looked at it. It was six o'clock; we
had entered the cave at eleven.

"Infadoos will miss us," I suggested. "If we do not
return to-night he will search for us in the morning,
Curtis."

" He may search in vain. He does not know the secret
of the door, nor even where it is. No living person knew
it yesterday, except Gagool. To-day no one^knows it.

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244

Even if he found the door he could not break it down.
All the Kukuana army could not break through five feet
of living rock. My friends, I see nothing for it but to
bow ourselves to the will of the Almighty. The search
for treasure has brought many to a bad end; we shall go
to swell their number."

The lamp grew dimmer yet.

Presently it flared up and showed the whole scene in
strong relief, the great mass of white tusks, the boxes full
of gold, the corpse of poor Foulata stretched before them,
the goat-skin full of treasure, the dim glimmer of the
diamonds, and the wild, wan faces of us three white men
seated there awaiting death by starvation.

Suddenly it sank, and expired.

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CHAPTER XVra.

WB ABANDON HOPS.

I CAN give no adequate description of the horrors of the
night which followed. Mercifully they were to some ex-
tent mitigated by sleep, for even in such a position as ours
wearied nature will sometimes assert itself. But I, at any
rate, found it impossible to sleep much. Putting aside the
terrifying thought of our impending doom — for the bravest
man on earth might well quail from such a fate as awaited
us, and I never had any great pretensions to be brave
— ^the silence itself was too great to allow of it. Reader,
you may have lain awake at night and thought the silence
oppressive, but I say with confidence that you can have no
idea what a vivid, tangible thing perfect silence really is.
On the surface of the earth there is always some sound or
motion, and though it may in itself be imperceptible, yet
does it deaden the sharp edge of absolute silence. But
here there was none. We were buried in the bowels of a
huge, snow-clad peak. Thousands of feet above us the
fresh air rushed over the white snow, but no sound of it
reached us. We were separated by a long tunnel and five
feet of rock even from the awful chamber of the dead; and
the dead make no noise. The crashing of all the artillery
of earth and heaven could not have come to our ears in our
living tomb. We were cut oflf from all echoes of the world
— we were as already dead.

And then the irony of the situation forced itself upon

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246 KING Solomon's minbs.

me. There around us lay treasures enough to pay off a
moderate national debt, or to build a fleet of iron-clads,
and yet we would gladly have bartered them all for the
faintest chance of escape. Soon, doubtless, we should be
glad to exchange them for a bit of food or a cup of water,
and, after that, even for the speedy close to our sufferings.
Truly wealth, which men spend all their lives in acquiring,
is a valueless thing at the last.

And so the night wore on.

" Good," said Sir Henry's voice at last, and it sounded
awful in the intense stillness, "how many matches have
you in the box ?"

"Eight, Curtis."

" Strike one, and let us see the time."

He did so, and in contrast to the dense darkness tb€)
flame nearly blinded us. It was five o'clock by my watch.
The beautiful dawn was now blushing on the snow- wreathe
far over our heads, and the breeze would be stirring the
night mists in the hollows.

**We had better eat something and keep up our
strength," said I.

"What is the good of eating ?" answered Good ; "the
sooner we die and get it over the better."

" While there is life there is hope," said Sir Henry.

Accordingly we ate and sipped some water, and another
period of time passed, when somebody suggested that it
might be as well to get as near to the door as possible and
hallo, on the faint chance of somebody catching a sound
outside. Accordingly Good, who, from long practice at
sea, has a fine, piercing note, groped his way down the pas-
sage and began, and I must say he made a most diabolical
poise I never heard such yells; but it might have been
a mosquito buzzing for all the effect it produced.

KING Solomon's minbs. 247

After a while he gave it up, and came back very thirsty,
and had to have some water. After that we gave up yell-
ing, as it encroached on the supply of water.

So we all sat down once more against our chests of use-
less diamonds in that dreadful inaction which was one of
the hardest circumstances of our fate; and I am bound to
say that, for my part, I gave way in despair. Laying my
head against Sir Henry's broad shoulder, I burst into tears;
and I think I heard Good gulping away on the other side,
and swearing hoarsely at himself for doing so.

Ah, how good and brave that great man was! Had we
been two frightened children, and he our nurse, he could
not have treated us more tenderly. Forgetting his own
share of miseries, he did all he could to soothe our broken
nerves, telling stories of men who had been in somewhat
similar circumstances and miraculously escaped; and when
these failed to cheer us, pointing out how, after all, it was
only anticipating an end that must come to us all, that it
would soon be over, and that death from exhaustion was a
merciful one (which is not true). Then, in a diffident sort
of a way, as I had once before heard him do, he suggested
that we should throw ourselves on the mercy of a higher
Power, which, for my part, I did with great vigor.

His is a beautiful character, very quiet, but very strong.

And so somehow the day went as the night had gone
(if, indeed, one can use the terms where all was densest
night), and when I lit a match to see the time it was seven
o'clock.

Once more we ate and drank, and as we did so an idea
occurred to me.

" How is it," said I, " that the air in this place keeps
fresh? It is thick and heavy, but it is perfectly fresh."

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248 KING Solomon's minbs.

"Great heavens!" said Good, starting up, "I never
thought of that. It can't come through the stone door,
for it is air-tight, if ever a door was. It must come from
somewhere. If there were no current of air in the place
we should have been stifled when we first came in. Let
us have a look."

It was wonderful what a change this mere spark of hope
wrought in us. In a moment we were all three groping
about the place on our hands and knees, feeling for the
slightest indication of a draught. Presently my ardor re-
ceived a check. I put my hand on something cold. It
. was poor Foulata's dead face.

For an hour or more we went on feeling about, till at
last Sir Henry and I gave it up in despair, having got con-
siderably hurt by constantly knocking our heads against
tusks, chests, and the sides of the chamber. But Good
still persevered, saying, with an approach to cheerfulness,
that it was better than doing nothing.

" I say, you fellows," he said, presently, in a constrained
sort of voice, *^ come here."

Needless to say we scrambled over towards him quick
enough.

" Quatermain, put your hand here where mine is. Now,
do you feel anything?"

" I think I feel air coming up."

"Now listen." He rose and stamped upon the place,
and a flame of hope shot up in our hearts. It rang
hollow.

With trembling hands I lit a match. I had only three
left, and we saw that we were in the angle of the far cor-
ner of the chamber, a fact that accounted for our not hav-
ing noticed the hollow ring of the place during our former

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KING Solomon's mines. 249

cxhauEtive examination. As the match burned we scruti-
nized the spot. There was a join in the solid rock floor,
and, great heavens ! there, let in level with the rock, was
a stone ring. We said no word; we were too excited, and
our hearts beat too wildly with hope to allow us to speak.
Good had a knife, at the back of which was one of those
hooks that are made to extract stones from horses' hoofs.
He opened it, and scratched away at the ring with it.
Finally he got it under, and levered away gently for fear
of breaking the hook. The ring began to move. Being
of stone, it had not got set fast in all the centuries it had
lain there, as would have been the case had it been of iron.
Presently it was upright. Then he got his hands into it
and tugged with all his force, but nothing budged.

" Let me try," I said, impatiently, for the situation of
the stone, right in the angle of the comer, was such that
it was impossible for two to pull at once. I got hold and
strained away, but with no results.

Then Sir Henry tried and failed.

Taking the hook again. Good scratched all round the
crack where we felt the air coming up.

" Now, Curtis," he said, " tackle on, and put your back
into it; you are as strong as two. Stop," and he took off
a stout black silk handkerchief, which, true to his habits
of neatness, he still wore, and ran it through the ring.
"Quatermain, get Curtis round the middle and pull for
dear life when I give the word. Ifow /"

Sir Henry put out all his enormous strength, and Good
and I did the same, with such power as nature had given
ns.

" Heave 1 heave! it's giving," gasped Sir Henry; and I
beard the muscles of his great back cracking,^ Suddenly

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25(f " KING SOLOMON'S MINES.

there came a parting sound, then a rush of air, and we
were all on our backs on the floor with a great flag-stone
on the top of us. Sir Henry's strength had done it, and
never did muscular power stand a man in better stead.

^' Light a match, Quatermain," he said, as soon as we
had picked ourselves up and got one breath; "carefully
now."

I did so, and there before us was, God be praised! the
first step of a stone stair.

" Now what is to be done ?" asked Good.

" Follow the stair, of course, and trust to Providence."

"Stopl" said Sir Henry; "Qnatermain, get the bit of
biltong and the water that is left; we may want them."

I went creeping back to our place by the chests for that
purpose, and as I was coming away an idea struck me.
We had not thought much of the diamonds for the last
twenty-four hours or so ; indeed, the idea of diamonds
was nauseous, seeing what they had entailed upon ns;
but, thought I, I may as well pocket a few in case we ever
should get out of this ghastly hole. So I just stuck my
list into the first chest and filled all the available pockets
of my shooting-coat, topping up — this was a happy thought
— with a couple of handfuls of big ones out of the third
chest.

" I say, you fellows," I sung out, " won't you take some
diamonds with you ? I've filled my pockets."

*'0h! hang the diamonds!" said Sir Henry. "I hope
that I may never see another."

As for Good, he made no answer. He was, I think,
taking a last farewell of all that was left of the poor girl
who loved him so well. And, curious as it may seem to
you, my reader, sitting at home at ease and reflecting on

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KING SOLaMON's MINES. 251

the vasty indeed, the immeasurable, wealth which we were
thus abandoning, I can assure you that if you had passed
some twenty-eight hours with next to nothing to eat and
drink in that place, you would not have cared to cumber
yourself with diamonds while plunging down into the un-
known bowels of the earth, in the wild hope of escape
from an agonizing death. If it had not, from the habits
of a lifetime, become a sort of second nature with me
never to leave anything worth having behind if there was
the slightest chance of my being able to carry it away, I
am sure I should not have bothered to fill my pockets.

" Come on, Quatermain," said Sir Henry, who was al-
ready standing on the first step of the stone stair. " Steady,
I wiU go first."

"Mind where you put your feet; there may be some
awful hole imdemeath," said I.

"Much more likely to be another room," said Sir
Henry, as he slowly descended, counting the steps as he
went.

When he got to "fifteen" he stopped. "Here's the
bottom," he said. "Thank goodness! I think it's a pas-
sage. Come on down."

Good descended next, and I followed last, and on reach-
ing the bottom lit one of the two remaining matches.
By its light we could just see that we were standing in a
narrow tunnel, which ran right and left at right angles to
the staircase we had descended. Before we could make
out any more the match burned my fingers and went out.
Then arose the delicate question of which way to turn.
Of course it was impossible to know what the tunnel was
or where it ran to, and yet to turn one way might lead us
to safety, and the other to destruction. We were utterly

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252 KING Solomon's minbs.

perplexed, till suddeoly it struck Good that when I had lit
the match the draught of the passage blew the flame to
the left.

"Let us go against the draught," he said; '^air dr^ws
inward, not outward."

We took this suggestion, and, feeling along the wall
with the hand, while trying the ground before at every
step, we departed from that accursed treasure-chamber on
our terrible quest. If ever it should be entered again by
living man, which I do not think it will be, he will find a
token of our presence in the open chests of jewels, the
empty lamp, and the white bones of poor Foulata.

When we had groped our way for about a quarter of an
hour along the passage it suddenly took a sharp turn, or
else was bisected by another, which we followed, only in
course of time to be led into a third. And so it went on
for some hours. We seemed to be in a stone labyrinth
which led nowhere. What all these passages are, of
course I cannot say, but we thought that they must be the
ancient workings of a mine, of which the various shafts
travelled hither and thither as the ore led them. This is
the only way in which we could account for such a multi-
tude of passages.

At length we halted, thoroughly worn out with fatigue,
and with that hope deferred which maketh the heart sick,
and ate up our poor remaining piece of biltong, and drank
our last sup of water, for our throats were like lime-kilns.
It seemed to us that we had escaped Death in the dark-
ness of the chamber only to meet him in the darkness of
the tunnels.

As we stood, once more utterly depressed, I thought I
caught a sound, to which I called the attentipn of the

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Kma SOLOMON^S MINES. "~- ^ 266

Others. It was very faint and very far off, but it «oa5"*£,,
sound, a faint, murmuring sound, for the others heard it
too, and no words can describe the blessedness of it after
all those hours of utter, awful stillness.

"By Heaven! it's running water,** said Good. "Come
on."

Off we started again in the direction from which the
faint murmur seemed to come, groping our way as before
along the rocky walls. As we went it got more and more
^audible, till at last it seemed quite loud in the quiet. On,
yet on; now we could distinctly make out the unmistak-
able swirl of rushing water. And yet how could there be
running water in the bowels of the earth? Now we were
quite near to it, and Good, who was leading, swore that he
could smell it.

" Go gently, Gteod," said Sir Henry, " we must be close."
Splash/ and a cry from Good.

He had fallen in.

"Good! Good! where are you?" we shouted, in terri-
fied distress. To our intense relief, an answer came back
in a choky voice.

"All right; IVe got hold of a rock. Strike a light to
show me where you are."

Hastily I lit the last remaining match. Its faint gleam
discovered to us a dark mass of water running at our feet.
How wide it was we could not see, but there, some way
out, was the dark form of our companion hanging on to a
projecting rock.

"Stand clear to catch me," sung out Good. "I must
swim for it."

Then we heard a splash and a great struggle. Another

minute and he had grabbed at and caught Sir Henry's out-
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262 ^- KING Solomon's mines.

j;k<rtitched hand, and we had palled him up high and dry
into the tunneL

"My word!" he said, between his gasps, "that was
touch and go. If I hadn't caught that rock, and known
how to swim, I should have been done. It runs like a
mill-race, and I could feel no bottom."

It was clear that this would not do; so after Qood had
rested a little, and we had drunk our fill from the water
of the subterranean river, which was sweet and fresh, and
washed our faces, which sadly needed it, as well as we
could, we started from the banks of this African Styx, and
began to retrace our steps along the tunnel, Good drip-
ping unpleasantly in front of us. At length we came to
another tunnel leading to our right.

"We may as well take it," said Sir Henry, wearily;
"all roads are alike here; we can only go on till we
drop."

Slowly, for a long, long while, we stumbled, utterly
weary, along this new tunnel. Sir Henry leading now.

Suddenly he stopped, and we bumped up against him.

" Look !" he whispered, " is my brain going, or is that
light?"

We stared with all our eyes, and there, yes, there, far
ahead of us, was a faint glimmering spot, no larger than
a cottage window - pane. It was so faint that I doubt
if any eyes, except those which, like ours, had for days
seen nothing but blackness, could have perceived it at
all.

With a sort of gasp of hope we pushed on. In five
minutes there was no longer any doubt: it ijoob a patch of
faint light. A minute more and a breath of real live air
was fanning us. On we struggled. All at once the tun-

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KiKa Solomon's minbs. 255

nel narrowed. Sir Henry went on his knees. Smaller
yet it grew, till it was only the size of a large fox's earth
— it was earth now, mind you; the rock had ceased.

A sqaeeze, a straggle, and Sir Henry was out, and so
was Good, and so was I, and there above us were the
blessed stars, and in oar nostrils was the sWeet air; then
suddenly something gave, and we were all rolling over
and over and over through grass and bashes and soft, wet
soiL

I caught at something and stopped. Sitting up, I
halloed lustily. An answering shout came from just be-
low, where Sir Henry's wild career had been stopped by
some level ground. I scrambled to him, and found him
unhurt, though breathless. Then we looked for Good.
A little way oflP we found him, too, jammed in a forked
root. He was a good deal knocked about, but s^on
came to,

We sat down together there on the grass, and the revul-
sion of feeling was so great that I really think we cried
for joy. We had escaped from that awful dungeon, that
was so near to becoming our grave. Surely some merci-
ful Power must have guided our footsteps to the jackal -
hole at the termination of the tunnel (for that is what it
must have been). And see, there on the mountains, the
dawn we had never thought to look upon again was blush-
ing rosy red.

Presently the gray light stole down the slopes, and we
saw that we were at the bottom, or, rather, nearly at the
bottom, of the vast pit in front of the entrance to the
cave. Now we could make out the dim forms of the three
colossi who sat upon its verge. Doubtless those awiui
passages, along which we had wandered the iiyeiong nij^hc,

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256 KING Solomon's mines.

had originally been^ in some way, connected with the great
diamond mine. As for the subterranean river in the bow-
els of the mountain, Heaven only knows what it was, or
whence it flows, or whither it goes. I, for one, have no
anxiety to trace its course.

Lighter it grew, and lighter yet. We could see each
other now, and such a spectacle as we presented I have
never set eyes on before or since. Gaunt-cheeked, hollow-
eyed wretches, smeared all over with dust and mud,
bruised, bleeding, the long fear of imminent death yet
written on our countenances, we were, indeed, a sight to
frighten the daylight. And yet it is a solemn fact that
Good's eye-glass was still fixed in Good's eye. I doubt
whether he had ever taken it out at all. Neither the
darkness, nor the plunge in the subterranean river, nor the
roll down the slope, had been able to separate Good and
his eye-glass.

Presently we rose, fearing that our limbs would stiflFen
if we stopped there longer, and commenced with slow and
painful steps to struggle up the sloping sides of the great
pit. For an hour or more we toiled steadfastly up the
blue clay, dragging ourselves on by the help of the roots
and grasses with which it was clothed.

At last it was done, and we stood on the great road, on
the side of the pit opposite to the colossi

By the side of the road, a hundred yards off, a fire was
burning in front of some huts, and round the fire were
figures. We made towards them, supporting one another,
and halting every few paces. Presently, one of the fig-
ures rose, saw us, and fell on to the ground, crying out for
fear.

" Inf adoos, Infadoos ! it is us, thy friends.**

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I KING Solomon's mines. 257

We rose; he ran to us, staring wildly, and still shaking
with fear.

" Oh, my lords, my lords, it is indeed you come back
from the dead ! — come back from the dead !"

And the old warrior flung himself down before us, and
clasped Sir Henry's knees, and wept aloud for joy.

n

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CHAPTER XDL

IGNOSI'S FABBWELL.

Tbn days from that eventful morning fonnd us once
more in our old quarters at Loo; and, strange to say, but
little the worse for our terrible experience, except that my
stubbly hair came out of that cave about three shades
grayer than it went in, and that Good never was quite the
same after Foulata's death, which seemed to move him
very greatly. I am bound to say that, looking at the
thing from the point of view of an oldish man of the
world, I consider her removal was a fortunate occurrence,
since, otherwise, complications would have been sure to
ensue. The poor creature was no ordinary native girl,
but a person of great, I had almost said stately, beauty,
and of considerable refinement of mind. But no amount
of beauty or refinement could have made an entanglement
between Good and herself a desirable occurrence; for, as
she herself put it, ^' Can the sun mate with the darkness,
or the white with the black ?"

I need hardly state that we never again penetrated into
Solomon's treasure - chamber. After we had recovered
from our fatigues, a process which took us forty -eight
hours, we descended into the great pit in the hope of
finding the hole by which we had crept out of the moun-
tain, but with no success. To begin with, rain had fallen,
and obliterated our spoor; and what is more, the sides of
the vast pit were full of ant-bear and other holes. It was

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KING SOLOMON'S MINES. 259

impossible to say to wbich of these we owed our salva-
tion. We also, on the day before we started back to Loo,
made a further examination of the wonders of the stalac-
tite cave, and, drawn by a kind of restless feeling, even
penetrated once more into the Chamber of the Dead; and,
passing beneath the spear of the white Death, gazed, with
sensations which it would be quite impossible for me to
describe, at the mass of rock which had shut us off from
escape, thinking, the while, of the priceless treasures be-
yond, of the mysterious old hag whose flattened frag-
ments lay crushed beneath it, and of the fair girl of whose
tomb it was the portal. I say gazed at the " rock," for
examine as we would we could find no traces of the join
of the sliding door; nor, indeed, could we hit upon the
secret, now utterly lost, that worked it, though we tried
for an hour or more. It was certainly a marvellous bit
of mechanism, characteristic, in its massive and yet inscru-
table simplicity, of the age which produced it; and I doubt
if the world has such another to show.

At last we gave it up in disgust; thougb, if the mass
had suddenly risen before our eyes, I doubt if we should
have screwed up courage to step over GagooPs mangled
remains and once more enter the treasure-chamber, even
in the sure and certain hope of unlimited diamonds. And
yet I could have cried at the idea qi leaving all that treas-
ure, the biggest treasure probably that has ever in the
world's history been accumulated in one spot. But there
was no help for it. Only dynamite could force its way
through five feet of solid rock. And so we left it. Per-
haps, in some remote unborn century, a more fortunate
explorer may hit upon the " Open Sesame," and flood the
world with gems. But, myself, I doubt it. Spmehpw, I

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260

seem to feel that the millions of pomids' worth of gems
that lie in the three stone coffers will never shine romid
the neck of an earthly beauty. They and Fonlata's bones
will keep cold company till the end of all things.

With a sigh of disappointment we made our way back,
and next day started for Loo. And yet it v^ really very
angratefal of us to be disappointed; for, as the reader
will remember, I had, by a lucky thought, taken the pre-
caution to fill the pockets of my old shooting-coat with
gems before we left our prison-house. A good many of
these fell out in the course of our roll down the side of the
pit, including most of the big ones, which I had . ammed
in on the top. But, comparatively speaking, an enormous
quantity still remained, including eighteen large stones
ranging from about one hundred to thirty carats in weight.
My old shooting-coat still held enough treasure to make
us all, if not millionaires, at least exceedingly wealthy
men, and yet to keep enough stones each to make the three
finest sets of gems in Europe. So we had not done so
badly.

On arriving at Loo we were most cordially received by
Ignosi, whom we found well, and busily engaged in con-
solidating his power and reorganizing the regiments which
bad suffered most in the great struggle with Twala.

He listened with breathless interest to our wonderful
story; but when we told him of old GagooPs frightful end,
he grew thoughtful.

" Come hither," he called, to a very old Induna (coun-
cillor), who was sitting with others in a circle round the
king, but out of ear-shot. The old man rose, approached,
saluted, and seated himself.

" TThou art old," said IgnosL

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KiNa Solomon's mines. 261

"Ay, my lord the king !"

"Tell me, when thou was little, didst thou know Gb-
gaoola, the witch doctress ?''

"Ay, my lord the king !"

" How was she then — ^young, like thee ?'*

" Not so, w^ lord the king ! She was even as now j old
and dried, very ugly, and full of wickedness.''

" She is no more; she is dead."

" So, O king ! then is a curse taken from the land." .

**Gor

" Koom ! I go, black puppy, who tore out the old dog's
throat. '^'Soomr'

" Ye see, my brothers," said Ignosi, " this was a strange
woman, and I rejoice that she is dead. She would have
let ye die in the dark place, and mayhap afterwards she
had found a way to slay me, as she found a way to slay
my father and set up Twala, whom her heart loved, in
his place. Now go on with the tale; surely there never
was the like !"

After I had narrated all the story of our escape, I, as
we had agreed between ourselves that I should, took the
opportunity to address Ignosi as to our departure from
Kukuanaland.

" And now, Ignosi, the time has come for us to bid thee
farewell, and start to seek once more our own land. Be-
hold, Ignosi, with us thou camest a servant, and now we
leave thee a mighty king. If thou art grateful to us, re-
member to do even as thou didst promise; to rule justly,
to respect the law, and to put none to death without a
cause. So shalt thou prosper. To-morrow, at break of
day, Ignosi, wilt thou give us an escort who shall lead us
across the mountains ? Is it not so, O king V^

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262

Ignosi covered his face with his hands for a while before
answering.

"My heart is sore," he said at last; "your words split
my heart in twain. What have I done to ye, Incubu,
Macumazahn, and Bougwan, that ye should leave me des-
olate ? Ye who stood by me in rebellion and battle, will
ye leave me in the day of peace and victory ? What will
ye — ^wives ? Choose from out the land ! A place to live
in? Behold, the land is yours as far as ye can see. The
white man's houses ? Ye shall teach my people how to
build them. Cattle for beef and milk? Every married
man shall bring ye an ox or a cow. Wild game to hunt ?
Does not the elephant walk through my forests, and the
river-horse sleep in the reeds ? Would ye make war ? My
Impis (regiments) wait your word. If there is anything
more that I can give, that will I give ye."

"Nay, Ignosi, we want not these things," I answered;
" we would seek our own place."

" Now do I perceive," said Ignosi, bitterly, and with
flashing eyes, " that it is the bright stones that ye love
more than me, your friend. Ye have the stones ; now
would ye go to Natal and across the black water and sell
them, and be rich, as it is the desire of a white man's heart
to be. Cursed for your sake be the stones, and cursed he
who seeks them. Death shall it be to him who sets foot
in the Place of Death to seek them. I have spoken, white
men; ye can go."

I laid my hand upon his arm. "Ignosi,"! said, "tell
us, when thou didst wander in Zululand, and among the
white men in Natal, did not thine heart turn to the land
thy mother told thee of, thy native land, where thou didst
see the light, and play when thou wast little, the land where
thy place was ?" "^'Q' '^^^ ^y Google

KING Solomon's mines. , 263

"It was even so, Macumazahn."

" Then thus does our heart turn to our land and to our
own place.'*

Then came a pause. When Ignosi broke it, it was in a^
different voice.

" I do perceive that thy words are, now as ever, wise
and full of reason, Macumazahn; that which flies in the
air loves not to run along the ground; the white man loves
not to live on the level of the black. Well, ye must go,
and leave my heart sore, because ye will be as dead to me,
since from where ye will be no tidings can come to me.

" But listen, and let all the white men know my words.
No other white man shall cross the mountains, even if any
may live to come so far. I will see no traders with their
guns and rum. My people shall fight with the spear and
drink water, like their forefathers before them. I will
have no praying-men to put fear of death into men's hearts,
to stir them up against the king, and make a path for the
white men who follow to run on. If a white man comes
to my gates I will send him back; if a hundred come, I
will push them back; if an army comes, I will make war
on them with all my strength, and they shall not prevail
against me. None shall ever come for the shining stones;
no, not an army, for if they come I will send a regiment
and fill up the pit, and break down the white columns in
the caves and fill them with rocks, so that none can come
even to that door of which ye speak, and whereof the way
to move it is lost. But for ye three, Incubu, Macumazahn,
and Bougwan, the path is always open; for behold, ye are
dearer to me than aught that breathes.

"And ye would go. Infadoos, my uncle, and my In-
duna, shall take thee by the hand and guide thee, with a

264

regiment. There is, as I have learned, another way across
the mountains that he shall show ye. Farewell, my broth-
ers, brave white men. See me no more, for I have no heart
to bear it. Behold, I make a decree, and it shall be pub-
lished from the mountains to the mountains, your names,
Incubu, Macumazahn, and Bougwan, shall be as the names
of dead kings, and he who speaks them shall die.* So shall
your memory be preserved in the land forever.

" Go, now, ere my eyes rain tears like a woman's. At
times when ye look back down the path of life, or when
ye are old and gather yourselves together to crouch before
the fire, because the sun has no more heat, ye will think of
how we stood shoulder to shoulder in that great battle that
thy wise words planned, Macumazahn; of how thou wast
the point of that horn that galled Twala's flank, Bougwan;
whilst thou stoodst in the ring of the Grays, Incubu, and
men went down before thine axe like corn before a sickle;
ay, and of how thou didst break the wild bull's (Twala's)
strength, and bring his pride to dust. Fare ye well for-
ever, Incubu, Macumazahn, and Bougwan, my lords and
my friends."

He rose, looked earnestly at us for a few seconds, and
then threw the comer of his kaross over his head, so as to
cover his face from us.

We went in silence.

Next day at dawn we left Loo, escorted by our old friend
Infadoos, who was heart-broken at our departure, and the

♦ This extraordinary and negative way of showing intense respect is by
no means unknown among African people, and the result is that if, as is
usual, the name in question has a significance, the meaning has to be ex-
pressed by an idiom or another word. In this way a memory is preserved
for generations, or until the new word supplants the old ona

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KING Solomon's mines. 265

regiment of Buffaloes. Early as the hour was, all the
main street of the town was lined with multitudes of peo-
ple, who gave us the royal salute as we passed at the head
of the regiment, while the women blessed us as having rid
the land of Twala, throwing flowers before us as we went.
It really was very affecting, and not the sort of thing one
is accustomed to meet with from natives.

One very ludicrous incident occurred, however, which I
rather welcomed, as it gave us something to laugh at.

Just before we got to the confines of the town a pretty
young girl, with some beautiful lilies in her hand, came
running forward and presented them to Good (somehow
they all seemed to like Good; I think his eye-glass and
solitary whisker gave him a fictitious value), and then said
she had a boon to ask.

"Speak on."

" Let my lord show his servant his beautiful white legs,
that his servant may look on them, and remember them all
her days, and tell of them to her children; his servant has
travelled four days' journey to see them, for the fame of
them has gone throughout the land."

" I'll be hanged if I do !" said Good, excitedly.

" Come, come, my dear fellow," said Sir Henry, " you
can't refuse to oblige a lady."

"I won't," said Good, obstinately; "it is positively in-
decent."

However, in the end he consented to draw up his trousers
to the knee, amidst notes of rapturous admiration from all
the women present, especially the gratified young lady, and
in this guise he had to walk till we got clear of the town.

Good's legs will, I fear, never be so greatly admired
again. Of his melting teeth, and even of his "trans-

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266 S^IHG SOtOMON^S MINBS.

parent eye," they wearied more or less, but of his legs,
never.

As we travelled, Infadoos told us that there was another
pass over the mountains to the north of the one followed
by Solomon's Great Road, or rather that there was a place
where it was possible to climb down the wall of cliff that
separated Kukuanaland from the desert, and was broken
by the towering shapes of Sheba's breasts. It appeared,
too, that rather more than two years previously a party of
Kukuana hunters had descended this path into the desert
in search of ostriches, whose plumes were much prized
among them for war head - dresses, and that in the course
of their hunt they had been led far from the mountains,
and were much troubled by thirst. Seeing, however, trees
on the horizon, they made towards them, and discovered a
large and fertile oasis of some miles in extent, and plenti-
fully watered. It was by way of this oasis that he suggest-
ed that we should return, and the idea seemed to us a good
one, as it appeared that we should escape the rigors of the
mountain pass, and as some of the hunters were in attend-
ance to guide us to the oasis, from which, they stated, they
could perceive more fertile spots far away in the desert.*

* It often puzzled all of us to understand how it was possible that
Ignosi's mother, bearing the child with her, should have survived the
dangers of the journey across the mountains and the desert, dangers which
80 nearly proved fatal to ourselves. It has since occurred to me, and I
give the idea to the reader for what it is worth, that she must have taken
this second route, and wandered out like Hagar into the desert If she
did so, there is no longer anything inexplicable about the story, since she
may well, as Ignosi himself related, have been picked up by some ostrich-
hunters before she or the child were exhausted, and led by them to the
oasis, and thence by stages to the fertile country, and so on by slow de-
grees southward to Zululand. — ^A. Q.

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267

Travelling easily, on the night of the fourth day's jour-
ney we found ourselves once more on the crest of the
mountains that separate Kukuanaland from the desert,
which rolled away in sandy billows at our feet, and about
twenty-five miles to the north of Sheba's breasts.

At dawn on the following day we were led to the com-
mencement of a precipitous descent, by which we were to
descend the precipice, and gain the desert two thousand
and more feet below.

Here we bade farewell to that true friend and sturdy old
warrior, Infadoos, who solemnly wished all good upon us,
and nearly wept with grief. " Never, my lords," he said,
" shall mine old eyes see the like of ye again. Ah ! the
way that Incubu cut his men down in the battle ! Ah !
for the sight of that stroke with which he swept off my
brother Twala's head ! It was beautiful — beautiful ! I
may never hope to see such another, except perchance in
happy dreams."

We were very sorry to part from him ; indeed. Good was
so moved that he gave him as a souvenir — what do you
think ? — an eye-glaaa, (Afterwards we discovered that it
was a spare one.) Infadoos was delighted, foreseeing that
the possession of such an article would enormously increase
his prestige, and after several vain attempts actually suc-
ceeded in screwing it into his own eye. Anything more
incongruous than the old warrior looked with an eye-glass
I never saw. Eye-glasses don't go well with leopard-skin
cloaks and black ostrich plumes.

Then, having seen that our guides were well laden with
water and provisions, and having received a thundering
farewell salute from the Buffaloes, we wrung the old war-
rior's hand, and began our downward climb. A very

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268 KIKO BOLOICOn's lOHSS.

ardaoos business it proved to be, but somehow that even-
ing we found ourselves at the bottom without accident.

** Do you know," sfid Sir Henry that night, as we sat
by our fire and gazed up at the beetling cliffs above us,
'^ I think that there are worse places than Kukuanaland in
the world, and that I have spent unhappier times than the
last month or two, though I have never spent such queer
ones. Eh ! you fellows ?**

" I almost wish I were back,** said €K)od, with a s^h.

As for myself, I reflected that all's well that ends well;
but in the course of a long life of shaves I never had such
shaves as those I had recently experienced. The thought
of that battle still makes me feel cold all over, and as for
our experience in the treasure-chamber — !

Next morning we started on a toilsome march across the
desert, having with us a good supply of water carried by
our five guides, and camped that night in the open, start-
ing again at dawn on the morrow.

By midday of the third day's journey we could see the
trees of the oasis of which the guides spoke, and by an
hour before sundown we were once more walking upon
grass and listening to the sound of running water.

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CHAPTER XX.

POUND.

And now I come to perhaps the strangest thing that
happened to us in all that strange business, and one which
shows how wonderfully things are brought about.

I was walking quietly along, some way in front of the
other two, down the banks of the stream which ran from
the oasb till it was swallowed up in the hungry desert
sands, when suddenly I stopped and rubbed my eyes, as
well I might. There, not twenty yards in front, placed in
a charming situation, under the shade of a species of fig-
tree, and facing to the stream, was a cosey hut, built more
or less on the Kaffir principle of grass and withes, only with
a full-length door instead of a bee-hole.

" What the dickens," said I to myself, ** can a hut be
doing here !" Even as I said it, the door of the hut
opened, and there limped out of it a white man clothed in
skins, and with an enormous black beard. I thought that
I must have got a touch of the sun. It was impossible.
No hunter ever came to such a place as this. Certainly
no hunter would ever settle in it. I stared and stared, and
so did the other man, and just at that juncture Sir Hepry
and Good came up.

" Look here, you fellows,'' I said, " is that a white man,
or am I mad ?"

Sir Henry looked, and Good looked, and then all of a
sudden the lame white man with the black beard gave a

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270 KINO Solomon's mines.

great ciy, and came hobbling towards us. When he got
close he fell down in a sort of faint.

With a spring Sir Henry was by his side.

" Great Powers !" he cried, *^U is my brother George P

At the sound of the disturbance another figure, also clad
in skins, emerged from the hut with a gun in his hand, and
came running towards us. On seeing me he too gave a cry.

" Macumazahn," he halloed, " don't you know me. Baas ?
I'm Jim, the hunter. I lost the note you gave me to give
to the Baas, and we have been here nearly two years."
And the fellow fell at my feet and rolled over and over,
weeping for joy."

" You careless scoundrel I" I said; " you ought to be
well hided."

Meanwhile the man with the black beard had recovered
and got up, and he and Sir Henry were pump-handling
away at each other, apparently without a word to say.
But whatever they had quarrelled about in the past (I
suspect It was a lady, though I never asked), it was evi-
dently forgotten now.

" My dear old fellow," burst out Sir Henry at last, " I
thought that you were dead. 1 have been over Solomon's
Mountains to find you, and now I come across you perched
in the desert, like an old Aasvogel (vulture)."

" I tried to go over Solomon's Mountains nearly two
years ago," was the answer, spoken in the hesitating voice
of a man who has had little recent opportunity of using his
tongue, "but when I got here, a boulder fell on my leg and
crushed it, and I have been able to go neither forward nor
back."

Then I came up. " How do you do, Mr. Neville ?" I
said; "do you remember me ?**'

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KING Solomon's mines. 271

" Why," he said, " isn't it Quatermain, eh, and Good, too ?
Hold on a minute, you fellows, I am getting dizzy again.
It is all so very strange, and, when a man has ceased to hope,
so very happy."

That evening, over the camp-fire, George Curtis told us
his story, which, in its way, was almost as eventful as our
own, and amounted, shortly, to this. A little short of two
years before, he had started from Sitanda's Kraal, to try
and reach the mountains. As for the note I had sent him
by Jim, that worthy had lost it, and he had never heard of
it till to-day. But, acting upon information he had received
from the natives, he made, not for Sheba's breasts, but for
the ladder-like descent of the mountains down which we
had just come, which was clearly a better route than that
marked out in old Don Silvestra's plan. In the desert he
and Jim suffered great hardships, but finally they reached
"this oasis, where a terrible accident befell George Curtis.
On the day of their arrival he was sitting by the stream,
and Jim was extracting the honey from the nest of a sting-
less bee, which is to be found in the desert, on the top of
the bank immediately above him. In so doing he loosed a
great boulder of rock, which fell upon George Curtis's right
leg, crushing it frightfully. From that day he had been so
dreadfully lame that he had found it impossible to go either
forward or back, and had preferred to take the chances of
dying on the oasis to the certainty of perishing in the desert.

As for food, however, they had got on pretty well, for
they had a good supply of ammunition, and the oasis was
frequented, especially at night, by large quantities of game,
which came thither for water. These they shot, or trapped
in pitfalls, using their flesh for food and, after their clothes
wore out, their hides for covering.

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272 KING Solomon's minkb.

" And so," he ended, "we have lived for nearly two years,
like a second Robinson Crasoe and his man Friday, hoping
against hope that some natives might come here and help
us away, but none have come. Only last night we settled
that Jim should leave me and try to reach Sitanda's Kraal
and get assistance. He was to go to-morrow, but I had
little hope of ever seeing him back again. And now you,
of all the people in the world, you who I fancied had long
ago forgotten all about me, and were living comfortably
in old England, turn up in a promiscuous way and find me
where you least expected. It is the most wonderful thing
I ever heard of, and the most merciful, too."

Then Sir Henry set to work and told him the main facts
of our adventures, sitting till late into the night to do it.

" By Jove !" he said, when I showed him some of the
diamonds; " well, at least you have got something for your
pains, besides my worthless self."

Sir Henry laughed. " They belong to Quatermain and
Good. It was part of the bargain that they should share
any spoils there might be."

This remark set me thinking, and,liaving spoken to Good,
I told Sir Henry that it was our unanimous wish that he
should take a third share of the diamonds, or, if he would
not, that his share should be handed to his brother, who had
suffered even more than ourselves on the chance of getting
them. Finally, we prevailed upon him to consent to this
arrangement, but George Curtis did not know of it till
some time afterwards.

And here, at this point, I think I shall end this history.
Our journey across the desert back to Sitanda's Kraal was
most arduous, especially as we had to support George Cur-

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KING Solomon's mines. 273

tis, whose right leg was very weak indeed, and continu-
ally throwing out splinters of bone; but we did accomplish
it, somehow, and to give its details would only be to repro-
duce much of what happened to us on the former occasion.
Six months from the date of our re-arrival at Sitanda's,
where we found our guns and other goods quite safe,
though the old scoundrel in charge was much disgusted at
our surviving to claim them, saw us all once more safe and
sound at my little place on the Berea, near Durban, where
I am now writing, and whence I bid farewell to all who
have accompanied me throughout the strangest trip I ever
made in the course of a long and varied experience.

Just as I had written the last word a Kaffir came up my
avenue of orange-trees, with a letter in a cleft stick, which
he had brought from the post. It turned out to be from
Sir Henry, and, as it speaks for itself, I give it in full,

" Braylbt Hall, Yorkshibb.

" Mt dear Quatermain, — I sent you a line a few mails back to say
that the three of us, George, Good, and myself, fetched up all right in Eng-
land. We got o£f the boat at Southampton, and went up to town. You
should have seen what a swell Good turned out the very next day, beauti-
fully shaved, frock coat fitting like a glove, brand-new eye-glass, etc., etc.
I went and walked in the park with him, where I met some people I know,
and at once told them the story of his ' beautiful white legs.*

'* He is furious, especially as some ill-natured person has printed it in a
society paper.

" To come to business. Good and I took the diamonds to Streeter^s to be
valued, as we arranged, and I am really afraid to tell you what they put
them at, it seems so enormous. They say that of course it is more or less
guess-work, as such stones have never to their knowledge been put on the
market in anything like such quantities. It appears that they are (with
the exception of one or two of the largest) of the finest water, and equal
in every way to the best Brazilian stones; I asked them if they would buy
them, but they said that it was beyond their power to do sq, and rjBcom-

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274 KUiG SOLOMOIJ S MINES.

mended us to sell by degrees, for fear we should flood the market. They
offer, however, a hundred and eighty thousand for a small portion of them.

^^ Tou must come home, Quatermain, and see about these things, especial-
ly if you insist upon making the magnificent present of the third share,
which does ^lot belong to me, to my brother Qeorge. As for Good, he is
no good. His time is too much occupied in shaving, and other matters
cdnnected with ihe vain adorning of his body. But I think he is still
down on his luck about Foulata. He told me that since he had been home
he hadn't seen a woman to touch her, either as regards her figure or the
sweetness of her expression.

** I want you to come home, my dear old comrade, and buy a place near
here. You have done your day's work, and have lots of money now, and
there is a place for sale quite close which would suit you admirably. Do
come ; the sooner the better ; you can finish writing the story of our ad-
ventures on board ship. We have refused to tell the story till it is written
by you, for fear that we shall not be believed. If you start on receipt of
this you will reach here by Christmas, and I book you to stay with me for
that. Good is coming, and George, and so, by the way, is your boy Harry
(there's a bribe for you). I have had him down for a week's shooting, and
like him. He is a cool young hand ; he shot me in the leg, cut out the
pellets, and then remarked upon the advantage of having a medical student
in every shooting-party.

" Good-bye, old boy ; I can't say any more, but I know that you will
come, if it is only to oblige your sincere friend, Henrt Curtis.

" P.S. — The tusks of the great bull that killed poor Khiva have now
been put up in the hall here, jver the pair of buflfalo-homs you gave me,
and look magnificent ; and the "xe with which I chopped off Twala's head
is stuck up over my writing-table. I wish we could have managed to
bring away the coats of chain armor. H. C."

To-day is Tuesday. There is a steamer going on Friday,
and I really think I must take Curtis at his word, and sail
by her for England, if it is only to see my boy Harry and
see about the printing of this history, which is a task I do
not like to trust to anybody else.

THB END.

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1

Digitized b

,CO: